City Map Compare/Miami vs San Diego
vs
5 km
|

Miami

143 km²

San Diego

964 km²

Miami vs San Diego - City Size Comparison

Miami vs San Diego - City Size Comparison

Miami

USA

Area143 km²
Population0.44M
Density3,077 /km²
Elevation2 m
Metro Pop.6.2M
Founded1896
Climatetropical monsoon
San Diego

United States

Area964 km²
Population1.39M
Density1,442 /km²
Elevation422 m
Founded1769

Area Comparison

Miami is 6.7x smaller than San Diego

Population Comparison

Miami has 3.2x fewer people than San Diego

Is Miami Bigger Than San Diego?

In terms of area, San Diego is 6.7x the size of Miami. San Diego spans 964 km² (372 mi²) while Miami covers 143 km² (55 mi²) — a difference of 821 km². You could fit Miami inside San Diego approximately 6 times.

To put Miami's size in perspective, its area of 143 km² is about 1.2x the size of San Francisco. Meanwhile, San Diego at 964 km² is roughly the same size as Berlin.

In more relatable units, Miami's 143 km² is about 20,000 American football fields, 71 times the area of Monaco, or 42 times the area of Central Park. San Diego works out to about 135,000 American football fields, 16 times the area of Manhattan, or 9 times the area of Paris.

About Miami

Miami is a coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida. It is the second-most populous city proper in Florida, with a population of 442,241 at the 2020 census. The Miami metropolitan area in South Florida has an estimated 6.39 million residents, ranking as the fifth-largest metropolitan area in the Southeast and eighth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Miami has the third-largest skyline in the U.S. with over 300 high-rises, 70 of which exceed 491 ft (150 m).

Known as "Magic City", Miami covers 143 km² with a population of 0.4 million. The city was established in 1896. Miami is known for South Beach, Art Deco Historic District, Little Havana, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Metrorail Miami.

Miami boasts the third-largest skyline in the U.S. with over 300 high-rises, 70 of them topping 491 feet

About San Diego

San Diego is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. It is the eighth-most populous city in the U.S. and second-most populous city in California with a population of over 1.4 million, while the San Diego metropolitan area with over 3.3 million residents is the 18th-largest metropolitan area in the country. San Diego is the county seat of San Diego County.

Also known as "America's Finest City", San Diego has an area of 964 km² and is home to 1.4 million people. It was established in 1769. Visitors come for San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park, Coronado Beach, and much more.

San Diego sits directly on the Mexico-United States border, making it California's southwesternmost major city.

Population Density

Miami has a population density of 3,077 people per km² — a moderately dense city. San Diego, with 1,442 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Miami is noticeably denser, packing 2.1 times more people per square kilometer.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Miami fits inside San Diego ~6 times

Density Gap

Miami is 2.1x more densely populated

History

San Diego is ~127 years older

Cities Similar in Size to Miami

Miami covers 143 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Minneapolis (149 km²), Brussels (161 km²), San Francisco (121 km²), Washington D.C. (177 km²), or Vancouver (115 km²).

Cities Similar in Size to San Diego

San Diego covers 964 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Abu Dhabi (972 km²), Dallas (997 km²), Berlin (892 km²), Santiago (838 km²), or Hong Kong (1,114 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Miami actually bigger than San Diego?
San Diego is 6.7 times larger than Miami by area. San Diego covers 964 km² while Miami spans 143 km², a difference of 821 km².
How many times does Miami fit inside San Diego?
Miami (143 km²) fits inside San Diego (964 km²) approximately 6 times. That means San Diego is 6.7x the area of Miami.
What is the population difference between Miami and San Diego?
San Diego has approximately 1.4 million people, while Miami has about 0.4 million. San Diego has 0.9 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Miami or San Diego?
Miami is more densely populated with 3,077 people per km², compared to 1,442 people per km².
Which city is older, Miami or San Diego?
San Diego is older, founded around 1769, while Miami was established around 1896 — a difference of about 127 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 Miami and San Diego

The straight-line distance from Miami to San Diego is 3,650 km (2,268 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~4h 48m.

Want to explore more? Compare city sizes for any two cities worldwide, or share your location live with friends.