Ho Chi Minh City
2,061 km²
Tehran
730 km²
Vietnam
Iran
Area Comparison
Ho Chi Minh City is 2.8x larger than Tehran
Population Comparison
Ho Chi Minh City has 1.0x fewer people than Tehran
Ho Chi Minh City is significantly larger, covering 2.8 times the area of Tehran. Ho Chi Minh City spans 2,061 km² (796 mi²) while Tehran covers 730 km² (282 mi²) — a difference of 1,331 km². You could fit Tehran inside Ho Chi Minh City approximately 2 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, Tehran at 730 km² is roughly the same size as New York City.
In more relatable units, Ho Chi Minh City's 2,061 km² is about 289,000 American football fields, 35 times the area of Manhattan, or 20 times the area of Paris. For Tehran, that's about 102,000 American football fields, 12 times the area of Manhattan, or 7 times the area of Paris.
Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon, is the most populous municipality of Vietnam, with a population of more than 14 million in 2025. Its geography is defined by rivers and canals, of which the largest is Saigon River. As the largest financial centre in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City has the largest gross regional domestic product out of all Vietnam provinces and municipalities, contributing around a quarter of the country's total GDP.
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 Independence Palace, Bitexco Financial Tower, War Remnants Museum, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the HCMC Metro (opening 2024).
Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam's largest financial center and contributes around a quarter of the country's total GDP.
Tehran is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is also the capital of Tehran province and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District. With a population of around 9 million in the city, and 16.8 million in the metropolitan area, Tehran is the most populous city in Iran and West Asia, the second-largest metropolitan area in the Middle East after Cairo, and the 24th-most-populous metropolitan area in the world.
Tehran has an area of 730 km² and is home to 9.1 million people. Its history stretches back to 1524. Visitors come for Azadi Tower, Milad Tower, Golestan Palace, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Tehran Metro.
Tehran's metropolitan area holds 16.8 million people, making it the second-largest metropolitan area in the Middle East after Cairo.
Looking beyond city limits, the Tehran metropolitan area covers 2,235 km², which is 1.1x larger than greater Ho Chi Minh City at 2,061 km². The Tehran metro area is also more populous, with 16.0 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. Tehran, with 12,507 people per km², is an extremely dense urban environment. Tehran is noticeably denser, packing 2.9 times more people per square kilometer.
Both cities are in Asia, but they represent different national approaches to urban development. Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) and Tehran (Iran) offer a fascinating regional contrast.
Ho Chi Minh City has a tropical savanna climate while Tehran experiences hot-summer Mediterranean conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Ho Chi Minh City stays around 27°C while Tehran drops to 3°C. When it's noon in Ho Chi Minh City, it's 8.5:00 AM in Tehran — a 3.5-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Tehran fits inside Ho Chi Minh City ~2 times
Density Gap
Tehran is 2.9x more densely populated
Time Difference
3.5 hours apart
History
Tehran is ~174 years older
Ho Chi Minh City covers 2,061 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Shenzhen (1,997 km²), Tokyo (2,194 km²), Riyadh (1,798 km²), Cape Town (2,455 km²), or Houston (1,725 km²).
Tehran covers 730 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Singapore (733 km²), Bangalore (741 km²), Hamburg (755 km²), Nairobi (696 km²), or New York (783 km²).
The straight-line distance from Ho Chi Minh City to Tehran is 6,187 km (3,844 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~7h 47m.
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