Lagos
1,172 km²
São Paulo
1,521 km²
Nigeria
Brazil
Area Comparison
Lagos is 1.3x smaller than São Paulo
Population Comparison
Lagos has 1.2x more people than São Paulo
Yes — São Paulo is 1.3x larger than Lagos by area. São Paulo spans 1,521 km² (587 mi²) while Lagos covers 1,172 km² (453 mi²) — a difference of 349 km².
To put Lagos's size in perspective, its area of 1,172 km² is about 1.3x the size of Berlin. Meanwhile, São Paulo at 1,521 km² is roughly the same size as London.
In more relatable units, Lagos's 1,172 km² is about 164,000 American football fields, 20 times the area of Manhattan, or 11 times the area of Paris. For São Paulo, that's about 213,000 American football fields, 26 times the area of Manhattan, or 14 times the area of Paris.
Lagos, or Lagos City, is a large metropolitan port city in southwestern Nigeria. As of November 2025, the size of the city's population has been estimated to be between 17 and 21 million residents, making Lagos the largest city in Nigeria, the most populous urban area on the African continent, and one of the fastest-growing megacities in the world.
Known as "Lasgidi", Lagos covers 1,172 km² with a population of 15.4 million. The city was established in 1472. Lagos is known for Victoria Island, Lekki Conservation Centre, Nike Art Gallery, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Lagos Rail (Blue & Red Lines).
Lagos is the most populous urban area on the African continent, with an estimated 17 to 21 million residents as of 2025.
São Paulo is the capital city of the state of the same name, as well as the most populous city in Brazil, South America, the Americas, and in both the Western and Southern Hemispheres. The city exerts international influence in commerce, finance, culture, gastronomy, arts, fashion, technology, entertainment and media, having been listed by UNESCO's Creative Cities Network as a "City of Film" and the title of "World Capital of Gastronomy", and by the Globalization and World Cities Research…
Nicknamed "Sampa", São Paulo has an area of 1,521 km² and is home to 12.3 million people. The city dates back to 1554. Visitors come for Avenida Paulista, Ibirapuera Park, São Paulo Museum of Art, and much more. Getting around is easy with the São Paulo Metro.
São Paulo is the most populous city in Brazil, the Americas, and both the Western and Southern Hemispheres.
Looking beyond city limits, the São Paulo metropolitan area covers 7,947 km², which is 2.9x larger than greater Lagos at 2,706 km². The São Paulo metro area is also more populous, with 22.0 million people compared to 21.0 million.
Lagos has a population density of 13,131 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. São Paulo, with 8,107 people per km², is a densely populated city. Lagos is noticeably denser, packing 1.6 times more people per square kilometer.
This comparison spans continents — Lagos in Africa versus São Paulo in South America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Lagos has a tropical savanna climate while São Paulo experiences humid subtropical conditions. When it's noon in Lagos, it's 8:00 AM in São Paulo — a 4-hour time difference.
Density Gap
Lagos is 1.6x more densely populated
Time Difference
4 hours apart
Lagos covers 1,172 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include San Antonio (1,209 km²), Rio de Janeiro (1,221 km²), Hong Kong (1,114 km²), Rome (1,285 km²), or Los Angeles (1,302 km²).
São Paulo covers 1,521 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Mexico City (1,485 km²), Delhi (1,484 km²), Bangkok (1,569 km²), London (1,572 km²), or Bogotá (1,578 km²).
The straight-line distance from Lagos to São Paulo is 6,374 km (3,961 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~7h 60m.
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