City Map Compare/Melbourne vs Rome
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Melbourne

9,993 km²

Rome

1,285 km²

Melbourne vs Rome - City Size Comparison

Melbourne vs Rome - City Size Comparison

Melbourne

Australia

Area9,993 km²
Population5.08M
Density508 /km²
Elevation31 m
Metro Pop.5.1M
Founded1835
Climateoceanic
Rome

Italy

Area1,285 km²
Population2.87M
Density2,233 /km²
Elevation21 m
Metro Pop.4.3M
Founded753 BC
ClimateMediterranean

Area Comparison

Melbourne is 7.8x larger than Rome

Population Comparison

Melbourne has 1.8x more people than Rome

Is Melbourne Bigger Than Rome?

In terms of area, Melbourne is 7.8x the size of Rome. Melbourne spans 9,993 km² (3,858 mi²) while Rome covers 1,285 km² (496 mi²) — a difference of 8,708 km². You could fit Rome inside Melbourne approximately 7 times.

To put Melbourne's size in perspective, its area of 9,993 km² is about 1.6x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, Rome at 1,285 km² is about 1.2x smaller than London.

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. Rome works out to about 180,000 American football fields, 22 times the area of Manhattan, or 12 times the area of Paris.

About Melbourne

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.

About Rome

Rome is the capital city and most populated comune (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special comune named Roma Capitale with a population of 2.7 million in an area of 1,287.36 km2 (497.1 mi2), Rome is the third most populous city in the European Union by population within city limits. The Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, with a population of 4.2 million, is the most populous metropolitan city in Italy.

Nicknamed "The Eternal City", Rome has an area of 1,285 km² and is home to 2.9 million people. The city dates back to 753 BC. Visitors come for Colosseum, Vatican City, Trevi Fountain, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Rome Metro.

Rome's special comune Roma Capitale spans 1,287 km2, making it the third most populous city in the EU within city limits

Metropolitan Area Comparison

Looking beyond city limits, the Melbourne metropolitan area covers 9,993 km², which is 1.9x larger than greater Rome at 5,352 km². The Melbourne metro area is also more populous, with 5.1 million people compared to 4.3 million.

Population Density

Melbourne has a population density of 508 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Rome, with 2,233 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Rome is dramatically more crowded, with 4.4x the population density.

This comparison spans continents — Melbourne in Oceania versus Rome in Europe. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.

Climate & Time Zone

Melbourne has a oceanic climate while Rome experiences Mediterranean conditions. When it's noon in Melbourne, it's 3:00 AM in Rome — a 9-hour time difference.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Rome fits inside Melbourne ~7 times

Density Gap

Rome is 4.4x more densely populated

Time Difference

9 hours apart

History

Rome is ~2,588 years older

Cities Similar in Size to Melbourne

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).

Cities Similar in Size to Rome

Rome covers 1,285 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Los Angeles (1,302 km²), Phoenix (1,341 km²), Rio de Janeiro (1,221 km²), San Antonio (1,209 km²), or Lagos (1,172 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Melbourne actually bigger than Rome?
Melbourne is 7.8 times larger than Rome by area. Melbourne covers 9,993 km² while Rome spans 1,285 km², a difference of 8,708 km².
How many times does Rome fit inside Melbourne?
Rome (1,285 km²) fits inside Melbourne (9,993 km²) approximately 7 times. That means Melbourne is 7.8x the area of Rome.
What is the population difference between Melbourne and Rome?
Melbourne has approximately 5.1 million people, while Rome has about 2.9 million. Melbourne has 2.2 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Melbourne or Rome?
Rome is more densely populated with 2,233 people per km², compared to 508 people per km².
What is the time difference between Melbourne and Rome?
Melbourne is in the UTC+10 timezone while Rome is UTC+1. There is a 9-hour time difference between the two cities.
Which city is older, Melbourne or Rome?
Rome is older, founded around -753, while Melbourne was established around 1835 — a difference of about 2588 years.
How does the map comparison work?
Our synchronized map comparison tool displays both cities at the same zoom level. When you zoom in or out on one map, the other automatically adjusts to maintain the same scale, allowing you to directly compare the relative sizes of both cities.
Can I compare other cities?
Yes! Use the city selectors at the top of the page to choose any two cities from our database of 50+ major cities worldwide, or enter custom coordinates for any location.

Distance Between Melbourne and Rome

The straight-line distance from Melbourne to Rome is 15,984 km (9,932 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~19h 18m.

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