Kuala Lumpur
243 km²
Madrid
604 km²
Malaysia
Spain
Area Comparison
Kuala Lumpur is 2.5x smaller than Madrid
Population Comparison
Kuala Lumpur has 1.7x fewer people than Madrid
Yes — Madrid is 2.5x larger than Kuala Lumpur by area. Madrid spans 604 km² (233 mi²) while Kuala Lumpur covers 243 km² (94 mi²) — a difference of 361 km². You could fit Kuala Lumpur inside Madrid approximately 2 times.
To put Kuala Lumpur's size in perspective, its area of 243 km² is about 1.1x the size of Amsterdam. Meanwhile, Madrid at 604 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul.
In more relatable units, Kuala Lumpur's 243 km² is about 34,000 American football fields, 120 times the area of Monaco, or 71 times the area of Central Park. Madrid works out to about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan.
Kuala Lumpur (KL), officially the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, is the capital city and a federal territory of Malaysia. It is the most populous city in the country, covering an area of 243 km2 (94 sq mi) with a population of 2,075,600 as of 2024. Greater Kuala Lumpur, which itself includes the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 8.8 million people as of 2024. It is among the fastest growing metropolitan regions in Southeast Asia, in terms of both population and economic development.
Known as "KL", Kuala Lumpur covers 243 km² with a population of 2.0 million. The city was established in 1857. Kuala Lumpur is known for Petronas Twin Towers, Batu Caves, Merdeka 118, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the RapidKL (LRT, MRT & Monorail).
Kuala Lumpur packs 2.07 million people into just 243 km2, making it Malaysia's most populous city by far
Madrid is the capital and most populous city of Spain. It had a population of over 3.4 million in the city proper in 2025, and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.8 million. Madrid is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), after Berlin, and its metropolitan area is the second-largest in the EU, after Paris. The municipality covers an area of 605.77 square kilometres (233.89 sq mi).
Nicknamed "La Villa y Corte", Madrid has an area of 604 km² and is home to 3.3 million people. Its history stretches back to 852. Visitors come for Royal Palace of Madrid, Prado Museum, Plaza Mayor, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Madrid Metro.
Madrid is the second-largest city in the European Union after Berlin, with over 3.4 million residents in the city proper
Looking beyond city limits, the Madrid metropolitan area covers 8,028 km², which is 2.9x larger than greater Kuala Lumpur at 2,793 km². The Kuala Lumpur metro area is also more populous, with 8.4 million people compared to 6.8 million.
Kuala Lumpur has a population density of 8,148 people per km² — a densely populated city. Madrid, with 5,513 people per km², is a densely populated city. Both cities have comparable density, though Kuala Lumpur is slightly more compact.
This comparison spans continents — Kuala Lumpur in Asia versus Madrid in Europe. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Kuala Lumpur has a tropical rainforest climate while Madrid experiences hot-summer Mediterranean conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Kuala Lumpur stays around 27°C while Madrid drops to 6°C. When it's noon in Kuala Lumpur, it's 5:00 AM in Madrid — a 7-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Kuala Lumpur fits inside Madrid ~2 times
Density Gap
Kuala Lumpur is 1.5x more densely populated
Time Difference
7 hours apart
History
Madrid is ~1,005 years older
Kuala Lumpur covers 243 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Boston (232 km²), Edinburgh (259 km²), Osaka (225 km²), Amsterdam (219 km²), or Taipei (272 km²).
Madrid covers 604 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Seoul (605 km²), Mumbai (603 km²), Chicago (606 km²), Toronto (630 km²), or Hyderabad (650 km²).
The straight-line distance from Kuala Lumpur to Madrid is 11,072 km (6,880 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~13h 32m.
Want to explore more? Compare city sizes for any two cities worldwide, or share your location live with friends.