City Map Compare/San Diego vs Vancouver
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San Diego

964 km²

Vancouver

115 km²

San Diego vs Vancouver - City Size Comparison

San Diego vs Vancouver - City Size Comparison

San Diego

United States

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

Canada

Area115 km²
Population0.66M
Density5,739 /km²
Elevation2 m
Founded1886
ClimateMarine west coast climate

Area Comparison

San Diego is 8.4x larger than Vancouver

Population Comparison

San Diego has 2.1x more people than Vancouver

Is San Diego Bigger Than Vancouver?

In terms of area, San Diego is 8.4x the size of Vancouver. San Diego spans 964 km² (372 mi²) while Vancouver covers 115 km² (44 mi²) — a difference of 849 km². You could fit Vancouver inside San Diego approximately 8 times.

To put San Diego's size in perspective, its area of 964 km² is roughly the same size as Berlin. Meanwhile, Vancouver at 115 km² is roughly the same size as San Francisco.

Picture San Diego another way: its area is large enough to fit about 135,000 American football fields, 16 times the area of Manhattan, or 9 times the area of Paris. Vancouver works out to about 16,000 American football fields, 57 times the area of Monaco, or 34 times the area of Central Park.

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 Vancouver

Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. The Metro Vancouver area had a population of 2.6 million in 2021, making it the third-largest metropolitan area in Canada. Greater Vancouver, along with the Fraser Valley, comprises the Lower Mainland with a regional population of over 3 million.

Nicknamed "Hollywood North", Vancouver has an area of 115 km² and is home to 0.7 million people. It was established in 1886. Visitors come for Stanley Park, Granville Island, Capilano Suspension Bridge, and much more.

Vancouver grew from 631,486 residents in 2016 to 662,248 by the 2021 census, leading all of British Columbia.

Population Density

San Diego has a population density of 1,442 people per km² — a relatively spread-out city. Vancouver, with 5,739 people per km², is a densely populated city. Vancouver is dramatically more crowded, with 4.0x the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Vancouver fits inside San Diego ~8 times

Density Gap

Vancouver is 4.0x more densely populated

History

San Diego is ~117 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 Vancouver

Vancouver covers 115 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include San Francisco (121 km²), Paris (105 km²), Barcelona (101 km²), Lisbon (100 km²), or Miami (143 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is larger, San Diego or Vancouver?
San Diego is 8.4 times larger than Vancouver by area. San Diego covers 964 km² while Vancouver spans 115 km², a difference of 849 km².
How many times does Vancouver fit inside San Diego?
Vancouver (115 km²) fits inside San Diego (964 km²) approximately 8 times. That means San Diego is 8.4x the area of Vancouver.
What is the population difference between San Diego and Vancouver?
San Diego has approximately 1.4 million people, while Vancouver has about 0.7 million. San Diego has 0.7 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, San Diego or Vancouver?
Vancouver is more densely populated with 5,739 people per km², compared to 1,442 people per km².
Which city is older, San Diego or Vancouver?
San Diego is older, founded around 1769, while Vancouver was established around 1886 — a difference of about 117 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 Vancouver

The straight-line distance from San Diego to Vancouver is 1,905 km (1,184 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~2h 44m.

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