Madrid
604 km²
Zurich
88 km²
Spain
Switzerland
Area Comparison
Madrid is 6.9x larger than Zurich
Population Comparison
Madrid has 7.7x more people than Zurich
Yes — Madrid is 6.9x larger than Zurich by area. Madrid spans 604 km² (233 mi²) while Zurich covers 88 km² (34 mi²) — a difference of 516 km². You could fit Zurich inside Madrid approximately 6 times.
To put Madrid's size in perspective, its area of 604 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul. Meanwhile, Zurich at 88 km² is about 1.2x smaller than Paris (city proper).
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. Zurich, by comparison, equals about 12,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Vatican City, or 44 times the area of Monaco.
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
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. It was founded around 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 Madrid metropolitan area covers 8,028 km², which is 6.0x larger than greater Zurich at 1,334 km². The Madrid metro area is also more populous, with 6.8 million people compared to 1.4 million.
Madrid has a population density of 5,513 people per km² — a densely populated city. Zurich, with 4,886 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Both cities have comparable density, though Madrid is slightly more compact.
Both cities are in Europe, but they represent different national approaches to urban development. Madrid (Spain) and Zurich (Switzerland) offer a fascinating regional contrast.
Madrid has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate while Zurich experiences oceanic conditions.
Size Ratio
Zurich fits inside Madrid ~6 times
History
Zurich is ~867 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).
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 Madrid to Zurich is 1,247 km (775 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~1h 58m.
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