City Map Compare/Hong Kong vs San Francisco
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Hong Kong

1,114 km²

San Francisco

121 km²

Hong Kong vs San Francisco - City Size Comparison

Hong Kong vs San Francisco - City Size Comparison

Hong Kong

China

Area1,114 km²
Population7.41M
Density6,652 /km²
Elevation32 m
Founded1841
Climatehumid subtropical
San Francisco

USA

Area121 km²
Population0.87M
Density7,190 /km²
Elevation16 m
Metro Pop.4.7M
Founded1776
ClimateMediterranean

Area Comparison

Hong Kong is 9.2x larger than San Francisco

Population Comparison

Hong Kong has 8.5x more people than San Francisco

Is Hong Kong Bigger Than San Francisco?

Yes — Hong Kong is 9.2x larger than San Francisco by area. Hong Kong spans 1,114 km² (430 mi²) while San Francisco covers 121 km² (47 mi²) — a difference of 993 km². You could fit San Francisco inside Hong Kong approximately 9 times.

To put Hong Kong's size in perspective, its area of 1,114 km² is about 1.2x the size of Berlin. Meanwhile, San Francisco at 121 km² is about 1.2x the size of Paris (city proper).

Hong Kong's footprint is roughly about 156,000 American football fields, 19 times the area of Manhattan, or 11 times the area of Paris — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. San Francisco, by comparison, equals about 17,000 American football fields, 60 times the area of Monaco, or 35 times the area of Central Park.

About Hong Kong

Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China. Situated on China's southern coast just south of Shenzhen, it consists of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories. With 7.5 million residents in a 1,114-square-kilometre (430 sq mi) territory, Hong Kong is the fourth-most densely populated region in the world.

Known as "Pearl of the Orient", Hong Kong covers 1,114 km² with a population of 7.4 million. The city was established in 1841. Hong Kong is known for Victoria Harbour, Victoria Peak, Star Ferry, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the MTR Hong Kong.

Hong Kong squeezes 7.5 million residents into 1,114 km2, making it the world's fourth-most densely populated region.

About San Francisco

San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the fourth-most populous city in California and the 17th-most populous in the United States, with a population of 826,079 in 2025. Among U.S. cities with a population of 300,000 or more, San Francisco is ranked first by per capita income, second by population density, and sixth by aggregate income as of 2023.

Nicknamed "The City by the Bay", San Francisco has an area of 121 km² and is home to 0.9 million people. It was established in 1776. Visitors come for Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, Cable cars, and much more. Getting around is easy with the BART & Muni.

San Francisco ranks first by per capita income among all US cities with 300,000+ residents as of 2023.

Population Density

Hong Kong has a population density of 6,652 people per km² — a densely populated city. San Francisco, with 7,190 people per km², is a densely populated city. Both cities have comparable density, though San Francisco is slightly more compact.

This comparison spans continents — Hong Kong in Asia versus San Francisco in North America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.

Climate & Time Zone

Hong Kong has a humid subtropical climate while San Francisco experiences Mediterranean conditions. Summers are notably different: Hong Kong averages 29°C compared to 17°C in San Francisco. When it's noon in Hong Kong, it's midnight in San Francisco — a 16-hour time difference.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

San Francisco fits inside Hong Kong ~9 times

Time Difference

16 hours apart

Cities Similar in Size to Hong Kong

Hong Kong covers 1,114 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Lagos (1,172 km²), San Antonio (1,209 km²), Rio de Janeiro (1,221 km²), Dallas (997 km²), or Abu Dhabi (972 km²).

Cities Similar in Size to San Francisco

San Francisco covers 121 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Vancouver (115 km²), Paris (105 km²), Miami (143 km²), Barcelona (101 km²), or Lisbon (100 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hong Kong bigger than San Francisco?
Hong Kong is 9.2 times larger than San Francisco by area. Hong Kong covers 1,114 km² while San Francisco spans 121 km², a difference of 993 km².
How many times does San Francisco fit inside Hong Kong?
San Francisco (121 km²) fits inside Hong Kong (1,114 km²) approximately 9 times. That means Hong Kong is 9.2x the area of San Francisco.
What is the population difference between Hong Kong and San Francisco?
Hong Kong has approximately 7.4 million people, while San Francisco has about 0.9 million. Hong Kong has 6.5 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Hong Kong or San Francisco?
San Francisco is more densely populated with 7,190 people per km², compared to 6,652 people per km².
What is the time difference between Hong Kong and San Francisco?
Hong Kong is in the UTC+8 timezone while San Francisco is UTC-8. There is a 16-hour time difference between the two cities.
Which city is older, Hong Kong or San Francisco?
San Francisco is older, founded around 1776, while Hong Kong was established around 1841 — a difference of about 65 years.
How does the map comparison work?
Our synchronized map comparison tool displays both cities at the same zoom level. When you zoom in or out on one map, the other automatically adjusts to maintain the same scale, allowing you to directly compare the relative sizes of both cities.
Can I compare other cities?
Yes! Use the city selectors at the top of the page to choose any two cities from our database of 50+ major cities worldwide, or enter custom coordinates for any location.

Distance Between Hong Kong and San Francisco

The straight-line distance from Hong Kong to San Francisco is 11,096 km (6,895 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~13h 33m.

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