Kuala Lumpur
243 km²
Osaka
225 km²
Malaysia
Japan
Area Comparison
Kuala Lumpur is 1.1x larger than Osaka
Population Comparison
Kuala Lumpur has 1.4x fewer people than Osaka
Kuala Lumpur is significantly larger, covering 1.1 times the area of Osaka. Kuala Lumpur spans 243 km² (94 mi²) while Osaka covers 225 km² (87 mi²) — a difference of 18 km².
To put Kuala Lumpur's size in perspective, its area of 243 km² is about 1.1x the size of Amsterdam. Meanwhile, Osaka at 225 km² is roughly the same size as Amsterdam.
Picture Kuala Lumpur another way: its area is large enough to fit about 34,000 American football fields, 120 times the area of Monaco, or 71 times the area of Central Park. Osaka, by comparison, equals about 32,000 American football fields, 110 times the area of Monaco, or 66 times the area of Central Park.
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
Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third-most populous city in Japan, following the special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With an estimated population of 2,816,247 as of October 1, 2025 and a population density of about 12,505 people per square kilometer, it is the largest component of the Keihanshin Metropolitan Area, the second-largest metropolitan area in Japan and the 10th-largest urban…
Also known as "Nation's Kitchen", Osaka has an area of 225 km² and is home to 2.8 million people. Its history stretches back to 645. Visitors come for Osaka Castle, Dotonbori district, Universal Studios Japan, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Osaka Metro.
Osaka is the third-most populous city in Japan, following the special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama.
Looking beyond city limits, the Osaka metropolitan area covers 13,228 km², which is 4.7x larger than greater Kuala Lumpur at 2,793 km². The Osaka metro area is also more populous, with 19.3 million people compared to 8.4 million.
Kuala Lumpur has a population density of 8,148 people per km² — a densely populated city. Osaka, with 12,222 people per km², is an extremely dense urban environment. Both cities have comparable density, though Osaka is slightly more compact.
Both cities are in Asia, but they represent different national approaches to urban development. Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and Osaka (Japan) offer a fascinating regional contrast.
Kuala Lumpur has a tropical rainforest climate while Osaka experiences humid subtropical conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Kuala Lumpur stays around 27°C while Osaka drops to 5°C.
Density Gap
Osaka is 1.5x more densely populated
History
Osaka is ~1,212 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).
Osaka covers 225 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Amsterdam (219 km²), Boston (232 km²), Helsinki (214 km²), Kuala Lumpur (243 km²), or Buenos Aires (203 km²).
The straight-line distance from Kuala Lumpur to Osaka is 4,948 km (3,075 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~6h 19m.
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