Madrid
604 km²
Shanghai
6,341 km²
Spain
China
Area Comparison
Madrid is 10.5x smaller than Shanghai
Population Comparison
Madrid has 7.5x fewer people than Shanghai
In terms of area, Shanghai is 10.5x the size of Madrid. Shanghai spans 6,341 km² (2,448 mi²) while Madrid covers 604 km² (233 mi²) — a difference of 5,737 km². You could fit Madrid inside Shanghai approximately 10 times.
To put Madrid's size in perspective, its area of 604 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul. Meanwhile, Shanghai at 6,341 km² is about 1.5x the size of Los Angeles metro.
Madrid's footprint is roughly about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Shanghai, by comparison, equals about 888,000 American football fields, 110 times the area of Manhattan, or 60 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
Shanghai is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. It has a population of 29,558,908 in the urban area as of 2025. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River bisecting the city. Shanghai is a global center for finance, business and economics, research, science and technology, manufacturing, transportation, tourism, and culture. The Port of Shanghai is the world's busiest container port.
Nicknamed "Pearl of the Orient", Shanghai has an area of 6,341 km² and is home to 24.9 million people. The city dates back to 1291. Visitors come for The Bund, Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai Tower, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Shanghai Metro.
Shanghai's urban population reached 29.5 million in 2025, making it the most populous urban area in all of China.
Looking beyond city limits, the Madrid metropolitan area covers 8,028 km², which is 1.3x larger than greater Shanghai at 6,341 km². The Shanghai metro area is also more populous, with 28.5 million people compared to 6.8 million.
Madrid has a population density of 5,513 people per km² — a densely populated city. Shanghai, with 3,922 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Both cities have comparable density, though Madrid is slightly more compact.
This comparison spans continents — Madrid in Europe versus Shanghai in Asia. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Madrid has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate while Shanghai experiences humid subtropical conditions. When it's noon in Shanghai, it's 5:00 AM in Madrid — a 7-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Madrid fits inside Shanghai ~10 times
Density Gap
Madrid is 1.4x more densely populated
Time Difference
7 hours apart
History
Madrid is ~439 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).
Shanghai covers 6,341 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Perth (6,417 km²), Istanbul (5,461 km²), Guangzhou (7,434 km²), Wuhan (8,569 km²), or Dubai (4,114 km²).
The straight-line distance from Madrid to Shanghai is 10,255 km (6,372 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~12h 34m.
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