Mexico City
1,485 km²
Shenzhen
1,997 km²
Mexico
China
Area Comparison
Mexico City is 1.3x smaller than Shenzhen
Population Comparison
Mexico City has 1.9x fewer people than Shenzhen
Yes — Shenzhen is 1.3x larger than Mexico City by area. Shenzhen spans 1,997 km² (771 mi²) while Mexico City covers 1,485 km² (573 mi²) — a difference of 512 km².
To put Mexico City's size in perspective, its area of 1,485 km² is roughly the same size as London. Meanwhile, Shenzhen at 1,997 km² is roughly the same size as Tokyo (city proper).
Mexico City's footprint is roughly about 208,000 American football fields, 25 times the area of Manhattan, or 14 times the area of Paris — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Shenzhen, by comparison, equals about 280,000 American football fields, 34 times the area of Manhattan, or 19 times the area of Paris.
Mexico City is the capital and most populous city of Mexico, as well as the most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and financial centers in the world, and is classified as an Alpha world city according to the Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC) 2024 ranking. Mexico City is located in the Valley of Mexico within the high Mexican central plateau, at an altitude of 2,240 meters.
Known as "CDMX", Mexico City covers 1,485 km² with a population of 9.2 million. The city was established in 1325. Mexico City is known for Zocalo square, Chapultepec Park, Frida Kahlo Museum, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Mexico City Metro.
Mexico City sits at an altitude of 2,240 meters in the Valley of Mexico on the high Mexican central plateau.
Shenzhen is a prefecture-level city in the province of Guangdong, China. A special economic zone, it is located on the east bank of the Pearl River estuary on the central coast of Guangdong, bordering Hong Kong to the south, Dongguan to the north, Huizhou to the northeast, and Macau to the southwest. With a population of 17.5 million in 2020, Shenzhen is the third-most-populous city by urban population in China after Shanghai and Beijing.
Also known as "China's Silicon Valley", Shenzhen has an area of 1,997 km² and is home to 17.6 million people. The city dates back to 1979. Visitors come for Ping An Finance Centre, Window of the World, OCT Loft, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Shenzhen Metro.
Shenzhen grew from a small town into China's third-most-populous urban city, hitting 17.5 million residents by 2020
Looking beyond city limits, the Mexico City metropolitan area covers 7,854 km², which is 3.9x larger than greater Shenzhen at 1,997 km². The Mexico City metro area is also more populous, with 21.8 million people compared to 17.6 million.
Mexico City has a population density of 6,202 people per km² — a densely populated city. Shenzhen, with 8,793 people per km², is a densely populated city. Both cities have comparable density, though Shenzhen is slightly more compact.
This comparison spans continents — Mexico City in North America versus Shenzhen in Asia. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Mexico City has a subtropical highland climate while Shenzhen experiences humid subtropical conditions. Summers are notably different: Shenzhen averages 29°C compared to 18°C in Mexico City. When it's noon in Shenzhen, it's midnight in Mexico City — a 14-hour time difference.
Density Gap
Shenzhen is 1.4x more densely populated
Time Difference
14 hours apart
History
Mexico City is ~654 years older
Mexico City covers 1,485 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Delhi (1,484 km²), São Paulo (1,521 km²), Bangkok (1,569 km²), London (1,572 km²), or Bogotá (1,578 km²).
Shenzhen covers 1,997 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Ho Chi Minh City (2,061 km²), Tokyo (2,194 km²), Riyadh (1,798 km²), Houston (1,725 km²), or Johannesburg (1,644 km²).
The straight-line distance from Mexico City to Shenzhen is 14,118 km (8,772 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~17h 7m.
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