Hyderabad
650 km²
Shanghai
6,341 km²
India
China
Area Comparison
Hyderabad is 9.8x smaller than Shanghai
Population Comparison
Hyderabad has 2.7x fewer people than Shanghai
In terms of area, Shanghai is 9.8x the size of Hyderabad. Shanghai spans 6,341 km² (2,448 mi²) while Hyderabad covers 650 km² (251 mi²) — a difference of 5,691 km². You could fit Hyderabad inside Shanghai approximately 9 times.
To put Hyderabad's size in perspective, its area of 650 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul. Meanwhile, Shanghai at 6,341 km² is about 1.5x the size of Los Angeles metro.
In more relatable units, Hyderabad's 650 km² is about 91,000 American football fields, 190 times the area of Central Park, or 11 times the area of Manhattan. Shanghai works out to about 888,000 American football fields, 110 times the area of Manhattan, or 60 times the area of Paris.
Hyderabad is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana. It occupies 650 km2 (250 sq mi) on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River, in the northern part of South India. With an average altitude of 536 m (1,759 ft), much of Hyderabad is situated on hilly terrain around artificial lakes, including the Hussain Sagar lake, predating the city's founding, in the north of the city centre.
Known as "City of Pearls", Hyderabad covers 650 km² with a population of 9.3 million. The city was established in 1592. Hyderabad is known for Charminar, Hussain Sagar Lake, Golconda Fort, among other attractions.
Hyderabad sprawls across 650 square kilometres on the Deccan Plateau, perched at an average altitude of 536 metres.
Shanghai is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. It has a population of 29,558,908 in the urban area as of 2025. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River bisecting the city. Shanghai is a global center for finance, business and economics, research, science and technology, manufacturing, transportation, tourism, and culture. The Port of Shanghai is the world's busiest container port.
Often called "Pearl of the Orient", Shanghai has an area of 6,341 km² and is home to 24.9 million people. The city dates back to 1291. Visitors come for The Bund, Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai Tower, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Shanghai Metro.
Shanghai's urban population reached 29.5 million in 2025, making it the most populous urban area in all of China.
Hyderabad has a population density of 14,323 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Shanghai, with 3,922 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Hyderabad is dramatically more crowded, with 3.7x the population density.
Size Ratio
Hyderabad fits inside Shanghai ~9 times
Density Gap
Hyderabad is 3.7x more densely populated
History
Shanghai is ~301 years older
Hyderabad covers 650 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Jakarta (662 km²), Toronto (630 km²), Nairobi (696 km²), Chicago (606 km²), or Seoul (605 km²).
Shanghai covers 6,341 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Perth (6,417 km²), Istanbul (5,461 km²), Guangzhou (7,434 km²), Wuhan (8,569 km²), or Dubai (4,114 km²).
The straight-line distance from Hyderabad to Shanghai is 4,589 km (2,851 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~5h 54m.
Want to explore more? Compare city sizes for any two cities worldwide, or share your location live with friends.