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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).
Spain's capital and largest city. Known as "The Capital of the Sun", Madrid covers 604 km² with a population of 3.3 million. The city was established in 852. Madrid is known for Prado Museum, Royal Palace, Retiro Park, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Madrid Metro.
Madrid is the highest capital city in the European Union at 650 meters above sea level
A cultural and financial center in Northern California. Often called "SF", 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's 121 km² makes it one of the smallest major US cities by area
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
The straight-line distance from Madrid to San Francisco is 9,318 km (5,790 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~11h 28m. See full distance details, including timezone difference and city facts.
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