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Vietnam
South Korea
Area Comparison
Ho Chi Minh City is 3.4x larger than Seoul
Population Comparison
Ho Chi Minh City has 1.1x fewer people than Seoul
In terms of area, Ho Chi Minh City is 3.4x the size of Seoul. Ho Chi Minh City spans 2,061 km² (796 mi²) while Seoul covers 605 km² (234 mi²) — a difference of 1,456 km². You could fit Seoul inside Ho Chi Minh City approximately 3 times.
To put Ho Chi Minh City's size in perspective, its area of 2,061 km² is roughly the same size as Tokyo (city proper). Meanwhile, Seoul at 605 km² is about 1.3x smaller than New York City.
Vietnam's largest city and economic center. Known as "Saigon", Ho Chi Minh City covers 2,061 km² with a population of 9.0 million. The city was established in 1698. Ho Chi Minh City is known for War Remnants Museum, Cu Chi Tunnels, Bến Thành Market, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the HCMC Metro (opening 2024).
The city was renamed from Saigon in 1976, but locals still commonly call it Saigon
Capital of South Korea and a major tech hub. Often called "The Soul of Asia", Seoul has an area of 605 km² and is home to 9.8 million people. Its history stretches back to 18 BC. Visitors come for Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gangnam district, K-pop culture, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Seoul Metro.
Seoul's metro area contains nearly half of South Korea's entire population
Looking beyond city limits, the Seoul metropolitan area covers 11,704 km², which is 5.7x larger than greater Ho Chi Minh City at 2,061 km². The Seoul metro area is also more populous, with 25.5 million people compared to 9.0 million.
Ho Chi Minh City has a population density of 4,362 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Seoul, with 16,149 people per km², is an extremely dense urban environment. Seoul is dramatically more crowded, with 3.7x the population density.
Both cities are in Asia, but they represent different national approaches to urban development. Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) and Seoul (South Korea) offer a fascinating regional contrast.
Ho Chi Minh City has a tropical savanna climate while Seoul experiences humid continental conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Ho Chi Minh City stays around 27°C while Seoul drops to -3°C. When it's noon in Seoul, it's 10:00 AM in Ho Chi Minh City — a 2-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Seoul fits inside Ho Chi Minh City ~3 times
Density Gap
Seoul is 3.7x more densely populated
History
Seoul is ~1,716 years older
The straight-line distance from Ho Chi Minh City to Seoul is 3,601 km (2,238 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~4h 44m. See full distance details, including timezone difference and city facts.
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