City Map Compare/San Diego vs São Paulo
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San Diego

964 km²

São Paulo

1,521 km²

San Diego vs São Paulo - City Size Comparison

San Diego vs São Paulo - City Size Comparison

San Diego

United States

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

Brazil

Area1,521 km²
Population12.33M
Density8,107 /km²
Elevation760 m
Metro Pop.22.0M
Founded1554
Climatehumid subtropical

Area Comparison

San Diego is 1.6x smaller than São Paulo

Population Comparison

San Diego has 8.9x fewer people than São Paulo

Is San Diego Bigger Than São Paulo?

Yes — São Paulo is 1.6x larger than San Diego by area. São Paulo spans 1,521 km² (587 mi²) while San Diego covers 964 km² (372 mi²) — a difference of 557 km².

To put San Diego's size in perspective, its area of 964 km² is roughly the same size as Berlin. Meanwhile, São Paulo at 1,521 km² is roughly the same size as London.

In more relatable units, San Diego's 964 km² is about 135,000 American football fields, 16 times the area of Manhattan, or 9 times the area of Paris. For São Paulo, that's about 213,000 American football fields, 26 times the area of Manhattan, or 14 times the area of Paris.

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.

Known as "America's Finest City", San Diego covers 964 km² with a population of 1.4 million. The city was established in 1769. San Diego is known for San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park, Coronado Beach, among other attractions.

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

About São Paulo

São Paulo is the capital city of the state of the same name, as well as the most populous city in Brazil, South America, the Americas, and in both the Western and Southern Hemispheres. The city exerts international influence in commerce, finance, culture, gastronomy, arts, fashion, technology, entertainment and media, having been listed by UNESCO's Creative Cities Network as a "City of Film" and the title of "World Capital of Gastronomy", and by the Globalization and World Cities Research…

Nicknamed "Sampa", São Paulo has an area of 1,521 km² and is home to 12.3 million people. Its history stretches back to 1554. Visitors come for Avenida Paulista, Ibirapuera Park, São Paulo Museum of Art, and much more. Getting around is easy with the São Paulo Metro.

São Paulo is the most populous city in Brazil, the Americas, and both the Western and Southern Hemispheres.

Population Density

San Diego has a population density of 1,442 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. São Paulo, with 8,107 people per km², is a densely populated city. São Paulo is dramatically more crowded, with 5.6x the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Density Gap

São Paulo is 5.6x more densely populated

History

São Paulo is ~215 years older

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).

Cities Similar in Size to São Paulo

São Paulo covers 1,521 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Mexico City (1,485 km²), Delhi (1,484 km²), Bangkok (1,569 km²), London (1,572 km²), or Bogotá (1,578 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is San Diego bigger than São Paulo?
São Paulo is 1.6 times larger than San Diego by area. São Paulo covers 1,521 km² while San Diego spans 964 km², a difference of 557 km².
How many times does San Diego fit inside São Paulo?
San Diego (964 km²) fits inside São Paulo (1,521 km²) approximately 1 times. That means São Paulo is 1.6x the area of San Diego.
What is the population difference between San Diego and São Paulo?
São Paulo has approximately 12.3 million people, while San Diego has about 1.4 million. São Paulo has 10.9 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, San Diego or São Paulo?
São Paulo is more densely populated with 8,107 people per km², compared to 1,442 people per km².
Which city is older, San Diego or São Paulo?
São Paulo is older, founded around 1554, while San Diego was established around 1769 — a difference of about 215 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 San Diego and São Paulo

The straight-line distance from San Diego to São Paulo is 9,745 km (6,055 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~11h 58m.

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