Osaka
225 km²
Shenzhen
1,997 km²
Japan
China
Area Comparison
Osaka is 8.9x smaller than Shenzhen
Population Comparison
Osaka has 6.4x fewer people than Shenzhen
Shenzhen is significantly larger, covering 8.9 times the area of Osaka. Shenzhen spans 1,997 km² (771 mi²) while Osaka covers 225 km² (87 mi²) — a difference of 1,772 km². You could fit Osaka inside Shenzhen approximately 8 times.
To put Osaka's size in perspective, its area of 225 km² is roughly the same size as Amsterdam. Meanwhile, Shenzhen at 1,997 km² is roughly the same size as Tokyo (city proper).
Osaka's footprint is roughly about 32,000 American football fields, 110 times the area of Monaco, or 66 times the area of Central Park — 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.
Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third-most populous city in Japan, following the special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With an estimated population of 2,816,247 as of October 1, 2025 and a population density of about 12,505 people per square kilometer, it is the largest component of the Keihanshin Metropolitan Area, the second-largest metropolitan area in Japan and the 10th-largest urban…
Known as "Nation's Kitchen", Osaka covers 225 km² with a population of 2.8 million. The city was established in 645. Osaka is known for Osaka Castle, Dotonbori district, Universal Studios Japan, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Osaka Metro.
Osaka is the third-most populous city in Japan, following the special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama.
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.
Often called "China's Silicon Valley", Shenzhen has an area of 1,997 km² and is home to 17.6 million people. It was established in 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 Osaka metropolitan area covers 13,228 km², which is 6.6x larger than greater Shenzhen at 1,997 km². The Osaka metro area is also more populous, with 19.3 million people compared to 17.6 million.
Osaka has a population density of 12,222 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Shenzhen, with 8,793 people per km², is a densely populated city. Both cities have comparable density, though Osaka is slightly more compact.
Both cities are in Asia, but they represent different national approaches to urban development. Osaka (Japan) and Shenzhen (China) offer a fascinating regional contrast.
Both cities share a humid subtropical climate, though local geography creates distinct microclimates in each.
Size Ratio
Osaka fits inside Shenzhen ~8 times
Density Gap
Osaka is 1.4x more densely populated
History
Osaka is ~1,334 years older
Osaka covers 225 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Amsterdam (219 km²), Boston (232 km²), Helsinki (214 km²), Kuala Lumpur (243 km²), or Buenos Aires (203 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 Osaka to Shenzhen is 2,483 km (1,543 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~3h 25m.
Want to explore more? Compare city sizes for any two cities worldwide, or share your location live with friends.