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USA
Brazil
Area Comparison
San Francisco is 12.6x smaller than São Paulo
Population Comparison
San Francisco has 14.2x fewer people than São Paulo
In terms of area, São Paulo is 12.6x the size of San Francisco. São Paulo spans 1,521 km² (587 mi²) while San Francisco covers 121 km² (47 mi²) — a difference of 1,400 km². You could fit San Francisco inside São Paulo approximately 12 times.
To put San Francisco's size in perspective, its area of 121 km² is about 1.2x the size of Paris (city proper). Meanwhile, São Paulo at 1,521 km² is roughly the same size as London.
A cultural and financial center in Northern California. Known as "SF", San Francisco covers 121 km² with a population of 0.9 million. The city was established in 1776. San Francisco is known for Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, Cable cars, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the BART & Muni.
San Francisco's 121 km² makes it one of the smallest major US cities by area
Brazil's largest city and financial center. 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 Paulista Avenue, Ibirapuera Park, São Paulo Museum of Art, and much more. Getting around is easy with the São Paulo Metro.
São Paulo has the largest Japanese community outside Japan
Looking beyond city limits, the São Paulo metropolitan area covers 7,947 km², which is 1.1x larger than greater San Francisco at 6,984 km². The São Paulo metro area is also more populous, with 22.0 million people compared to 4.7 million.
San Francisco has a population density of 7,190 people per km² — a densely populated city. São Paulo, with 8,107 people per km², is a densely populated city. Both cities have comparable density, though São Paulo is slightly more compact.
This comparison spans continents — San Francisco in North America versus São Paulo in South America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
San Francisco has a Mediterranean climate while São Paulo experiences humid subtropical conditions. When it's noon in São Paulo, it's 7:00 AM in San Francisco — a 5-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
San Francisco fits inside São Paulo ~12 times
Time Difference
5 hours apart
History
São Paulo is ~222 years older
The straight-line distance from San Francisco to São Paulo is 10,434 km (6,483 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~12h 46m. See full distance details, including timezone difference and city facts.
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