Manila
43 km²
Shanghai
6,341 km²
Philippines
China
Area Comparison
Manila is 147.5x smaller than Shanghai
Population Comparison
Manila has 13.4x fewer people than Shanghai
Yes — Shanghai is 147.5x larger than Manila by area. Shanghai spans 6,341 km² (2,448 mi²) while Manila covers 43 km² (17 mi²) — a difference of 6,298 km². You could fit Manila inside Shanghai approximately 147 times.
To put Manila's size in perspective, its area of 43 km² is about 1.4x smaller than Manhattan. Meanwhile, Shanghai at 6,341 km² is about 1.5x the size of Los Angeles metro.
Picture Manila another way: its area is large enough to fit about 6,000 American football fields, 88 times the area of Vatican City, or 21 times the area of Monaco. Shanghai works out to about 888,000 American football fields, 110 times the area of Manhattan, or 60 times the area of Paris.
Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 1,902,590 people. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on the island of Luzon, it is classified as a highly urbanized city. With 44,935 inhabitants per square kilometer (116,380/sq mi), Manila is one of the world's most densely populated cities proper.
Known as "Pearl of the Orient", Manila covers 43 km² with a population of 1.9 million. The city was established in 1571. Manila is known for Intramuros walled city, Rizal Park, Manila Bay, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the LRT & MRT Manila.
Manila has 44,935 inhabitants per square kilometer, making it one of the world's most densely populated cities 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.
Often called "Pearl of the Orient", Shanghai has an area of 6,341 km² and is home to 24.9 million people. Its history stretches 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 Shanghai metropolitan area covers 6,341 km², which is 10.2x larger than greater Manila at 620 km². The Shanghai metro area is also more populous, with 28.5 million people compared to 13.9 million.
Manila has a population density of 43,023 people per km² — one of the most densely packed urban areas on Earth. Shanghai, with 3,922 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Manila is dramatically more crowded, with 11.0x the population density.
Both cities are in Asia, but they represent different national approaches to urban development. Manila (Philippines) and Shanghai (China) offer a fascinating regional contrast.
Manila has a tropical savanna climate while Shanghai experiences humid subtropical conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Manila stays around 26°C while Shanghai drops to 5°C.
Size Ratio
Manila fits inside Shanghai ~147 times
Density Gap
Manila is 11.0x more densely populated
History
Shanghai is ~280 years older
Manila covers 43 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Athens (39 km²), Tel Aviv (52 km²), Zurich (88 km²), Copenhagen (91 km²), or Lisbon (100 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 Manila to Shanghai is 1,850 km (1,150 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~2h 41m.
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