Lisbon
100 km²
Madrid
604 km²
Portugal
Spain
Area Comparison
Lisbon is 6.0x smaller than Madrid
Population Comparison
Lisbon has 6.1x fewer people than Madrid
In terms of area, Madrid is 6.0x the size of Lisbon. Madrid spans 604 km² (233 mi²) while Lisbon covers 100 km² (39 mi²) — a difference of 504 km². You could fit Lisbon inside Madrid approximately 6 times.
To put Lisbon's size in perspective, its area of 100 km² is roughly the same size as Paris (city proper). Meanwhile, Madrid at 604 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul.
Lisbon's footprint is roughly about 14,000 American football fields, 50 times the area of Monaco, or 29 times the area of Central Park — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Madrid works out to about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan.
Lisbon is the capital and most populous city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 575,739 as of 2024, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainland Europe's westernmost capital city, and the only one along the Atlantic coast, the others being on islands. The city lies in the western portion of the Iberian Peninsula, on the northern shore of the River Tagus.
Known as "City of Seven Hills", Lisbon covers 100 km² with a population of 0.6 million. The city was founded around 1200 BC. Lisbon is known for Belém Tower, Jerónimos Monastery, Tram 28, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Lisbon Metro.
Lisbon is mainland Europe's westernmost capital city and the only European capital along the Atlantic coast.
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).
Also known as "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 2.7x larger than greater Lisbon at 3,015 km². The Madrid metro area is also more populous, with 6.8 million people compared to 2.9 million.
Lisbon has a population density of 5,500 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 Madrid is slightly more compact.
Both cities are in Europe, but they represent different national approaches to urban development. Lisbon (Portugal) and Madrid (Spain) offer a fascinating regional contrast.
Lisbon has a Mediterranean climate while Madrid experiences hot-summer Mediterranean conditions.
Size Ratio
Lisbon fits inside Madrid ~6 times
History
Lisbon is ~2,052 years older
Lisbon covers 100 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Barcelona (101 km²), Paris (105 km²), Copenhagen (91 km²), Zurich (88 km²), or Vancouver (115 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 Lisbon to Madrid is 502 km (312 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~1h 5m. See full distance details, including timezone difference and city facts.
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