Melbourne
9,993 km²
New York
783 km²
Australia
USA
Area Comparison
Melbourne is 12.8x larger than New York
Population Comparison
Melbourne has 1.6x fewer people than New York
Yes — Melbourne is 12.8x larger than New York by area. Melbourne spans 9,993 km² (3,858 mi²) while New York covers 783 km² (302 mi²) — a difference of 9,210 km². You could fit New York inside Melbourne approximately 12 times.
To put Melbourne's size in perspective, its area of 9,993 km² is about 1.6x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, New York at 783 km² is about 1.1x smaller than Berlin.
Melbourne's footprint is roughly about 1,400,000 American football fields, 170 times the area of Manhattan, or 95 times the area of Paris — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. For New York, that's about 110,000 American football fields, 13 times the area of Manhattan, or 7 times the area of Paris.
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second most-populous city in Australia. The city's name generally refers to a 9,993-square-kilometre (3,858 sq mi) area, comprising an urban agglomeration of 31 local government areas. The name is also used to specifically refer to the local government area named City of Melbourne, whose area is centred on the Melbourne central business district and some immediate surrounds.
Melbourne covers 9,993 km² with a population of 5.1 million. The city was established in 1835. Melbourne is known for Federation Square, Flinders Street Station, Melbourne Cricket Ground, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Melbourne Trams & Metro.
Melbourne's metropolitan area spans 9,993 square kilometers across 31 local government areas, making it Australia's second-most-populous city.
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States. It is located at the southern tip of New York State on New York Harbor, one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive with its respective county. It is the geographical and demographic center of both the Northeast megalopolis and the New York metropolitan area, the largest metropolitan area in the United States by both population and urban area.
Nicknamed "New York City", New York has an area of 783 km² and is home to 8.3 million people. It was established in 1624. Visitors come for Times Square, Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, and much more. Getting around is easy with the NYC Subway.
New York City sits on one of the world's largest natural harbors, which shaped its rise as America's commercial gateway.
Looking beyond city limits, the New York metropolitan area covers 17,405 km², which is 1.7x larger than greater Melbourne at 9,993 km². The New York metro area is also more populous, with 20.1 million people compared to 5.1 million.
Melbourne has a population density of 508 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. New York, with 10,651 people per km², is an extremely dense urban environment. New York is dramatically more crowded, with 21.0x the population density.
This comparison spans continents — Melbourne in Oceania versus New York in North America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Melbourne has a oceanic climate while New York experiences humid subtropical conditions. When it's noon in Melbourne, it's midnight in New York — a 15-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
New York fits inside Melbourne ~12 times
Density Gap
New York is 21.0x more densely populated
Time Difference
15 hours apart
History
New York is ~211 years older
Melbourne covers 9,993 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Xi'an (10,097 km²), Wuhan (8,569 km²), Sydney (12,368 km²), Guangzhou (7,434 km²), or Chengdu (14,378 km²).
New York covers 783 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Hamburg (755 km²), Bangalore (741 km²), Kyoto (828 km²), Singapore (733 km²), or Santiago (838 km²).
The straight-line distance from Melbourne to New York is 16,672 km (10,360 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~20h 7m.
Want to explore more? Compare city sizes for any two cities worldwide, or share your location live with friends.