Madrid
604 km²
São Paulo
1,521 km²
Spain
Brazil
Area Comparison
Madrid is 2.5x smaller than São Paulo
Population Comparison
Madrid has 3.7x fewer people than São Paulo
In terms of area, São Paulo is 2.5x the size of Madrid. São Paulo spans 1,521 km² (587 mi²) while Madrid covers 604 km² (233 mi²) — a difference of 917 km². You could fit Madrid inside São Paulo approximately 2 times.
To put Madrid's size in perspective, its area of 604 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul. Meanwhile, São Paulo at 1,521 km² is roughly the same size as London.
Picture Madrid another way: its area is large enough to fit about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan. São Paulo works out to about 213,000 American football fields, 26 times the area of Manhattan, or 14 times the area of Paris.
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
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…
Also known as "Sampa", São Paulo has an area of 1,521 km² and is home to 12.3 million people. The city dates 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 Madrid metropolitan area covers 8,028 km², which is 1.0x larger than greater São Paulo at 7,947 km². The São Paulo metro area is also more populous, with 22.0 million people compared to 6.8 million.
Madrid has a population density of 5,513 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 — Madrid in Europe versus São Paulo in South America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Madrid has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate while São Paulo experiences humid subtropical conditions. When it's noon in Madrid, it's 8:00 AM in São Paulo — a 4-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Madrid fits inside São Paulo ~2 times
Density Gap
São Paulo is 1.5x more densely populated
Time Difference
4 hours apart
History
Madrid is ~702 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).
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 Madrid to São Paulo is 8,385 km (5,210 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~10h 22m.
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