Los Angeles
1,302 km²
Zurich
88 km²
USA
Switzerland
Area Comparison
Los Angeles is 14.8x larger than Zurich
Population Comparison
Los Angeles has 9.2x more people than Zurich
Los Angeles is significantly larger, covering 14.8 times the area of Zurich. Los Angeles spans 1,302 km² (503 mi²) while Zurich covers 88 km² (34 mi²) — a difference of 1,214 km². You could fit Zurich inside Los Angeles approximately 14 times.
To put Los Angeles's size in perspective, its area of 1,302 km² is about 1.2x smaller than London. Meanwhile, Zurich at 88 km² is about 1.2x smaller than Paris (city proper).
Picture Los Angeles another way: its area is large enough to fit about 182,000 American football fields, 22 times the area of Manhattan, or 12 times the area of Paris. Zurich, by comparison, equals about 12,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Vatican City, or 44 times the area of Monaco.
Los Angeles (LA) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Southern California. With an estimated 3.88 million residents within the city limits as of 2024, it is the second-most populous city in the United States, behind New York City, and the largest city in the Western United States. The city has an ethnically and culturally diverse population, and is the principal city of a metropolitan area of 12.9 million people (2024).
Known as "The City of Angels", Los Angeles covers 1,302 km² with a population of 4.0 million. The city was established in 1781. Los Angeles is known for Hollywood Sign, Santa Monica Pier, Beverly Hills, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the LA Metro.
Los Angeles is the second-most populous city in the United States, home to 3.88 million residents within city limits as of 2024.
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. As of the end of 2024, the municipality had a population of 436,551, while the urban area was home to 1.45 million people (2020), and the Zurich metropolitan area had a total population of 2.1 million (2020). Zurich is a hub for railways, roads, and air traffic.
Zurich has an area of 88 km² and is home to 0.4 million people. Its history stretches back to 15 BC. Visitors come for Lake Zurich, Bahnhofstrasse, Grossmünster, and much more. Getting around is easy with the ZVV (S-Bahn & Tram).
Zurich is Switzerland's largest city and sits at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich in north-central Switzerland.
Looking beyond city limits, the Los Angeles metropolitan area covers 12,562 km², which is 9.4x larger than greater Zurich at 1,334 km². The Los Angeles metro area is also more populous, with 13.2 million people compared to 1.4 million.
Los Angeles has a population density of 3,049 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Zurich, with 4,886 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Zurich is noticeably denser, packing 1.6 times more people per square kilometer.
This comparison spans continents — Los Angeles in North America versus Zurich in Europe. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Los Angeles has a Mediterranean climate while Zurich experiences oceanic conditions. When it's noon in Zurich, it's 3:00 AM in Los Angeles — a 9-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Zurich fits inside Los Angeles ~14 times
Density Gap
Zurich is 1.6x more densely populated
Time Difference
9 hours apart
History
Zurich is ~1,796 years older
Los Angeles covers 1,302 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Rome (1,285 km²), Phoenix (1,341 km²), Rio de Janeiro (1,221 km²), San Antonio (1,209 km²), or Lagos (1,172 km²).
Zurich covers 88 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Copenhagen (91 km²), Lisbon (100 km²), Barcelona (101 km²), Paris (105 km²), or Vancouver (115 km²).
The straight-line distance from Los Angeles to Zurich is 9,523 km (5,917 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~11h 42m.
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