City Map Compare/Moscow vs San Diego
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Moscow

2,511 km²

San Diego

964 km²

Moscow vs San Diego - City Size Comparison

Moscow vs San Diego - City Size Comparison

Moscow

Russia

Area2,511 km²
Population12.54M
Density4,994 /km²
Elevation156 m
Metro Pop.17.1M
Founded1147
Climatehumid continental
San Diego

United States

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

Area Comparison

Moscow is 2.6x larger than San Diego

Population Comparison

Moscow has 9.0x more people than San Diego

Is Moscow Bigger Than San Diego?

Moscow is significantly larger, covering 2.6 times the area of San Diego. Moscow spans 2,511 km² (970 mi²) while San Diego covers 964 km² (372 mi²) — a difference of 1,547 km². You could fit San Diego inside Moscow approximately 2 times.

To put Moscow's size in perspective, its area of 2,511 km² is roughly the same size as Luxembourg. Meanwhile, San Diego at 964 km² is roughly the same size as Berlin.

Picture Moscow another way: its area is large enough to fit about 352,000 American football fields, 42 times the area of Manhattan, or 24 times the area of Paris. 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 Moscow

Moscow is the capital and largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents within the city limits, over 19.1 million residents in the urban area, and over 21.5 million residents in its metropolitan area. The city covers an area of 2,511 square kilometers (970 mi2), while the urban area covers 5,891 square kilometers (2,275 mi2), and the metropolitan area covers over 26,000 square kilometers (10,000 mi2).

Known as "Third Rome", Moscow covers 2,511 km² with a population of 12.5 million. The city was established in 1147. Moscow is known for Red Square, Kremlin, Saint Basil's Cathedral, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Moscow Metro.

Moscow's metropolitan area covers over 26,000 square kilometers, making it one of the largest metropolitan footprints in Europe.

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.

Nicknamed "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

Moscow has a population density of 4,994 people per km² — a moderately dense city. San Diego, with 1,442 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Moscow is dramatically more crowded, with 3.5x the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

San Diego fits inside Moscow ~2 times

Density Gap

Moscow is 3.5x more densely populated

History

Moscow is ~622 years older

Cities Similar in Size to Moscow

Moscow covers 2,511 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Cape Town (2,455 km²), Lima (2,672 km²), Tokyo (2,194 km²), Ho Chi Minh City (2,061 km²), or Cairo (3,085 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

Which is larger, Moscow or San Diego?
Moscow is 2.6 times larger than San Diego by area. Moscow covers 2,511 km² while San Diego spans 964 km², a difference of 1,547 km².
How many times does San Diego fit inside Moscow?
San Diego (964 km²) fits inside Moscow (2,511 km²) approximately 2 times. That means Moscow is 2.6x the area of San Diego.
What is the population difference between Moscow and San Diego?
Moscow has approximately 12.5 million people, while San Diego has about 1.4 million. Moscow has 11.1 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Moscow or San Diego?
Moscow is more densely populated with 4,994 people per km², compared to 1,442 people per km².
Which city is older, Moscow or San Diego?
Moscow is older, founded around 1147, while San Diego was established around 1769 — a difference of about 622 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 Moscow and San Diego

The straight-line distance from Moscow to San Diego is 9,890 km (6,145 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~12h 8m.

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