Lisbon
100 km²
São Paulo
1,521 km²
Portugal
Brazil
Area Comparison
Lisbon is 15.2x smaller than São Paulo
Population Comparison
Lisbon has 22.4x fewer people than São Paulo
Yes — São Paulo is 15.2x larger than Lisbon by area. São Paulo spans 1,521 km² (587 mi²) while Lisbon covers 100 km² (39 mi²) — a difference of 1,421 km². You could fit Lisbon inside São Paulo approximately 15 times.
To put Lisbon's size in perspective, its area of 100 km² is roughly the same size as Paris (city proper). Meanwhile, São Paulo at 1,521 km² is roughly the same size as London.
In more relatable units, Lisbon's 100 km² is about 14,000 American football fields, 50 times the area of Monaco, or 29 times the area of Central Park. São Paulo, by comparison, equals about 213,000 American football fields, 26 times the area of Manhattan, or 14 times the area of Paris.
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.
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…
Often called "Sampa", São Paulo has an area of 1,521 km² and is home to 12.3 million people. Its history stretches 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 2.6x larger than greater Lisbon at 3,015 km². The São Paulo metro area is also more populous, with 22.0 million people compared to 2.9 million.
Lisbon has a population density of 5,500 people per km² — a densely populated city. São Paulo, with 8,107 people per km², is a densely populated city. Both cities have comparable density, though São Paulo is slightly more compact.
This comparison spans continents — Lisbon in Europe versus São Paulo in South America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Lisbon has a Mediterranean climate while São Paulo experiences humid subtropical conditions. When it's noon in Lisbon, it's 9:00 AM in São Paulo — a 3-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Lisbon fits inside São Paulo ~15 times
Density Gap
São Paulo is 1.5x more densely populated
Time Difference
3 hours apart
History
Lisbon is ~2,754 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).
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 Lisbon to São Paulo is 7,949 km (4,939 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~9h 51m.
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