City Map Compare/San Francisco vs Taipei
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San Francisco

121 km²

Taipei

272 km²

San Francisco vs Taipei - City Size Comparison

San Francisco vs Taipei - City Size Comparison

San Francisco

USA

Area121 km²
Population0.87M
Density7,190 /km²
Elevation16 m
Metro Pop.4.7M
Founded1776
ClimateMediterranean
Taipei

Taiwan

Area272 km²
Population2.65M
Density9,743 /km²
Elevation9 m
Metro Pop.7.0M
Founded1709
Climatehumid subtropical

Area Comparison

San Francisco is 2.2x smaller than Taipei

Population Comparison

San Francisco has 3.0x fewer people than Taipei

Is San Francisco Bigger Than Taipei?

Yes — Taipei is 2.2x larger than San Francisco by area. Taipei spans 272 km² (105 mi²) while San Francisco covers 121 km² (47 mi²) — a difference of 151 km². You could fit San Francisco inside Taipei approximately 2 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, Taipei at 272 km² is about 1.2x the size of Amsterdam.

San Francisco's footprint is roughly about 17,000 American football fields, 60 times the area of Monaco, or 35 times the area of Central Park — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Taipei, by comparison, equals about 38,000 American football fields, 130 times the area of Monaco, or 80 times the area of Central Park.

About San Francisco

San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the fourth-most populous city in California and the 17th-most populous in the United States, with a population of 826,079 in 2025. Among U.S. cities with a population of 300,000 or more, San Francisco is ranked first by per capita income, second by population density, and sixth by aggregate income as of 2023.

Known as "The City by the Bay", 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 ranks first by per capita income among all US cities with 300,000+ residents as of 2023.

About Taipei

Taipei, officially Taipei City, is the capital and a special municipality of Taiwan. Located in Northern Taiwan, Taipei City is an enclave of the municipality of New Taipei City that sits about 25 kilometres (16 mi) southwest of the northern port city of Keelung. Most of the city rests on the Taipei Basin, an ancient lakebed. The basin is bounded by the relatively narrow valleys of the Keelung and Xindian rivers, which join to form the Tamsui River along the city's western border.

Taipei has an area of 272 km² and is home to 2.6 million people. The city dates back to 1709. Visitors come for Taipei 101 tower, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial, Shilin Night Market, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Taipei Metro (MRT).

Most of Taipei rests on the Taipei Basin, an ancient lakebed bounded by narrow river valleys.

Metropolitan Area Comparison

Looking beyond city limits, the San Francisco metropolitan area covers 6,984 km², which is 2.8x larger than greater Taipei at 2,458 km². The Taipei metro area is also more populous, with 7.0 million people compared to 4.7 million.

Population Density

San Francisco has a population density of 7,190 people per km² — a densely populated city. Taipei, with 9,743 people per km², is a densely populated city. Both cities have comparable density, though Taipei is slightly more compact.

This comparison spans continents — San Francisco in North America versus Taipei in Asia. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.

Climate & Time Zone

San Francisco has a Mediterranean climate while Taipei experiences humid subtropical conditions. Summers are notably different: Taipei averages 29°C compared to 17°C in San Francisco. When it's noon in Taipei, it's midnight in San Francisco — a 16-hour time difference.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

San Francisco fits inside Taipei ~2 times

Density Gap

Taipei is 1.4x more densely populated

Time Difference

16 hours apart

Cities Similar in Size to San Francisco

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

Cities Similar in Size to Taipei

Taipei covers 272 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Edinburgh (259 km²), Kuala Lumpur (243 km²), Munich (311 km²), Boston (232 km²), or Osaka (225 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is larger, San Francisco or Taipei?
Taipei is 2.2 times larger than San Francisco by area. Taipei covers 272 km² while San Francisco spans 121 km², a difference of 151 km².
How many times does San Francisco fit inside Taipei?
San Francisco (121 km²) fits inside Taipei (272 km²) approximately 2 times. That means Taipei is 2.2x the area of San Francisco.
What is the population difference between San Francisco and Taipei?
Taipei has approximately 2.6 million people, while San Francisco has about 0.9 million. Taipei has 1.8 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, San Francisco or Taipei?
Taipei is more densely populated with 9,743 people per km², compared to 7,190 people per km².
What is the time difference between San Francisco and Taipei?
San Francisco is in the UTC-8 timezone while Taipei is UTC+8. There is a 16-hour time difference between the two cities.
Which city is older, San Francisco or Taipei?
Taipei is older, founded around 1709, while San Francisco was established around 1776 — a difference of about 67 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 Francisco and Taipei

The straight-line distance from San Francisco to Taipei is 10,358 km (6,436 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~12h 41m.

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