City Map Compare/Montreal vs Rio de Janeiro
vs
5 km
|

Montreal

498 km²

Rio de Janeiro

1,221 km²

Montreal vs Rio de Janeiro - City Size Comparison

Montreal vs Rio de Janeiro - City Size Comparison

Montreal

Canada

Area498 km²
Population1.76M
Density3,534 /km²
Elevation31 m
Founded1642
Rio de Janeiro

Brazil

Area1,221 km²
Population6.75M
Density5,528 /km²
Elevation11 m
Metro Pop.13.5M
Founded1565
Climatetropical savanna

Area Comparison

Montreal is 2.5x smaller than Rio de Janeiro

Population Comparison

Montreal has 3.8x fewer people than Rio de Janeiro

Is Montreal Bigger Than Rio de Janeiro?

In terms of area, Rio de Janeiro is 2.5x the size of Montreal. Rio de Janeiro spans 1,221 km² (471 mi²) while Montreal covers 498 km² (192 mi²) — a difference of 723 km². You could fit Montreal inside Rio de Janeiro approximately 2 times.

To put Montreal's size in perspective, its area of 498 km² is about 1.2x smaller than Seoul. Meanwhile, Rio de Janeiro at 1,221 km² is about 1.3x smaller than London.

Picture Montreal another way: its area is large enough to fit about 70,000 American football fields, 150 times the area of Central Park, or 8 times the area of Manhattan. Rio de Janeiro works out to about 171,000 American football fields, 21 times the area of Manhattan, or 12 times the area of Paris.

About Montreal

Montreal is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest in Canada, and the eighth-largest in North America. Founded in 1642 as Ville-Marie, or "City of Mary", it now takes its name from Mount Royal, the triple-peaked mountain around which the early settlement was built. The city is centred on the Island of Montreal and a few, much smaller, peripheral islands, the largest of which is Île Bizard.

Known as "MTL", Montreal covers 498 km² with a population of 1.8 million. The city was established in 1642. Montreal is known for Mount Royal, Notre-Dame Basilica, Old Montreal, among other attractions.

Montreal was founded in 1642 as Ville-Marie, meaning 'City of Mary', before adopting its current name from Mount Royal.

About Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro, also known simply as Rio, is the capital of the state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the second-most-populous city in Brazil after São Paulo and the sixth-most-populous city in the Americas.

Also known as "Cidade Maravilhosa", Rio de Janeiro has an area of 1,221 km² and is home to 6.8 million people. The city dates back to 1565. Visitors come for Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain, Copacabana beach, and much more. Getting around is easy with the MetrôRio.

Rio de Janeiro is the second-most-populous city in Brazil after São Paulo and the sixth-most-populous in the Americas.

Population Density

Montreal has a population density of 3,534 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Rio de Janeiro, with 5,528 people per km², is a densely populated city. Rio de Janeiro is noticeably denser, packing 1.6 times more people per square kilometer.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Montreal fits inside Rio de Janeiro ~2 times

Density Gap

Rio de Janeiro is 1.6x more densely populated

Cities Similar in Size to Montreal

Montreal covers 498 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Prague (496 km²), Warsaw (517 km²), Budapest (525 km²), Oslo (454 km²), or Auckland (559 km²).

Cities Similar in Size to Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro covers 1,221 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include San Antonio (1,209 km²), Lagos (1,172 km²), Rome (1,285 km²), Los Angeles (1,302 km²), or Hong Kong (1,114 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Montreal actually bigger than Rio de Janeiro?
Rio de Janeiro is 2.5 times larger than Montreal by area. Rio de Janeiro covers 1,221 km² while Montreal spans 498 km², a difference of 723 km².
How many times does Montreal fit inside Rio de Janeiro?
Montreal (498 km²) fits inside Rio de Janeiro (1,221 km²) approximately 2 times. That means Rio de Janeiro is 2.5x the area of Montreal.
What is the population difference between Montreal and Rio de Janeiro?
Rio de Janeiro has approximately 6.8 million people, while Montreal has about 1.8 million. Rio de Janeiro has 5.0 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Montreal or Rio de Janeiro?
Rio de Janeiro is more densely populated with 5,528 people per km², compared to 3,534 people per km².
Which city is older, Montreal or Rio de Janeiro?
Rio de Janeiro is older, founded around 1565, while Montreal was established around 1642 — a difference of about 77 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 Montreal and Rio de Janeiro

The straight-line distance from Montreal to Rio de Janeiro is 8,205 km (5,098 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~10h 9m.

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