Madrid
604 km²
San Francisco
121 km²
Spain
USA
Area Comparison
Madrid is 5.0x larger than San Francisco
Population Comparison
Madrid has 3.8x more people than San Francisco
In terms of area, Madrid is 5.0x the size of San Francisco. Madrid spans 604 km² (233 mi²) while San Francisco covers 121 km² (47 mi²) — a difference of 483 km². You could fit San Francisco inside Madrid approximately 4 times.
To put Madrid's size in perspective, its area of 604 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul. Meanwhile, San Francisco at 121 km² is about 1.2x the size of Paris (city proper).
In more relatable units, Madrid's 604 km² is about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan. For San Francisco, that's about 17,000 American football fields, 60 times the area of Monaco, or 35 times the area of Central Park.
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).
Known as "La Villa y Corte", Madrid covers 604 km² with a population of 3.3 million. The city was established in 852. Madrid is known for Royal Palace of Madrid, Prado Museum, Plaza Mayor, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is 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
San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the fourth-most populous city in California and the 17th-most populous in the United States, with a population of 826,079 in 2025. Among U.S. cities with a population of 300,000 or more, San Francisco is ranked first by per capita income, second by population density, and sixth by aggregate income as of 2023.
Often called "The City by the Bay", San Francisco has an area of 121 km² and is home to 0.9 million people. The city dates back to 1776. Visitors come for Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, Cable cars, and much more. Getting around is easy with the BART & Muni.
San Francisco ranks first by per capita income among all US cities with 300,000+ residents as of 2023.
Looking beyond city limits, the Madrid metropolitan area covers 8,028 km², which is 1.1x larger than greater San Francisco at 6,984 km². The Madrid metro area is also more populous, with 6.8 million people compared to 4.7 million.
Madrid has a population density of 5,513 people per km² — a densely populated city. San Francisco, with 7,190 people per km², is a densely populated city. Both cities have comparable density, though San Francisco is slightly more compact.
This comparison spans continents — Madrid in Europe versus San Francisco in North America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Madrid has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate while San Francisco experiences Mediterranean conditions. Summers are notably different: Madrid averages 26°C compared to 17°C in San Francisco. When it's noon in Madrid, it's 3:00 AM in San Francisco — a 9-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
San Francisco fits inside Madrid ~4 times
Density Gap
San Francisco is 1.3x more densely populated
Time Difference
9 hours apart
History
Madrid is ~924 years older
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).
San Francisco covers 121 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Vancouver (115 km²), Paris (105 km²), Miami (143 km²), Barcelona (101 km²), or Lisbon (100 km²).
The straight-line distance from Madrid to San Francisco is 9,318 km (5,790 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~11h 28m.
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