City Map Compare/Santiago vs Seoul
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5 km
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Santiago

838 km²

Seoul

605 km²

Santiago vs Seoul - City Size Comparison

Santiago vs Seoul - City Size Comparison

Santiago

Chile

Area838 km²
Population6.26M
Density7,470 /km²
Elevation575 m
Founded1541
Seoul

South Korea

Area605 km²
Population9.77M
Density16,149 /km²
Elevation38 m
Metro Pop.25.5M
Founded18 BC
Climatehumid continental

Area Comparison

Santiago is 1.4x larger than Seoul

Population Comparison

Santiago has 1.6x fewer people than Seoul

Is Santiago Bigger Than Seoul?

In terms of area, Santiago is 1.4x the size of Seoul. Santiago spans 838 km² (324 mi²) while Seoul covers 605 km² (234 mi²) — a difference of 233 km².

To put Santiago's size in perspective, its area of 838 km² is roughly the same size as Berlin. Meanwhile, Seoul at 605 km² is about 1.3x smaller than New York City.

Santiago's footprint is roughly about 117,000 American football fields, 14 times the area of Manhattan, or 8 times the area of Paris — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Seoul works out to about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan.

About Santiago

Santiago, also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile and one of the largest cities in the Americas. Located in the Chilean Central Valley within the Santiago Basin, between the Andes to the east and the Chilean Coastal Range to the west, it anchors the Santiago Metropolitan Region and its conurbation of Greater Santiago, which comprises more than forty communes and concentrates over a third of the national population and around 45% of Chile's GDP.

Known as "Santiago de Chile", Santiago covers 838 km² with a population of 6.3 million. The city was established in 1541. Santiago is known for Cerro San Cristóbal, Gran Torre Santiago, Plaza de Armas, among other attractions.

Santiago sits in the Chilean Central Valley between the Andes and the Coastal Range, anchoring over a third of Chile's population.

About Seoul

Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital and largest city of South Korea, and the largest city in the whole of Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's sixth largest metropolitan economy in 2022, behind New York, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Paris, and London, and hosts more than half of South Korea's population.

Seoul has an area of 605 km² and is home to 9.8 million people. The city dates back to 18 BC. Visitors come for Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gangnam district, Myeongdong shopping, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Seoul Metro.

Seoul Metropolitan Area emerged as the world's sixth largest metropolitan economy in 2022, behind only NYC, Tokyo, LA, Paris, and London.

Population Density

Santiago has a population density of 7,470 people per km² — a densely populated city. Seoul, with 16,149 people per km², is an extremely dense urban environment. Seoul is noticeably denser, packing 2.2 times more people per square kilometer.

Key Differences at a Glance

Density Gap

Seoul is 2.2x more densely populated

History

Seoul is ~1,559 years older

Cities Similar in Size to Santiago

Santiago covers 838 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Kyoto (828 km²), Berlin (892 km²), New York (783 km²), Hamburg (755 km²), or Bangalore (741 km²).

Cities Similar in Size to Seoul

Seoul covers 605 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Chicago (606 km²), Madrid (604 km²), Mumbai (603 km²), Toronto (630 km²), or Hyderabad (650 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Santiago actually bigger than Seoul?
Santiago is 1.4 times larger than Seoul by area. Santiago covers 838 km² while Seoul spans 605 km², a difference of 233 km².
How many times does Seoul fit inside Santiago?
Seoul (605 km²) fits inside Santiago (838 km²) approximately 1 times. That means Santiago is 1.4x the area of Seoul.
What is the population difference between Santiago and Seoul?
Seoul has approximately 9.8 million people, while Santiago has about 6.3 million. Seoul has 3.5 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, Santiago or Seoul?
Seoul is more densely populated with 16,149 people per km², compared to 7,470 people per km².
Which city is older, Santiago or Seoul?
Seoul is older, founded around -18, while Santiago was established around 1541 — a difference of about 1559 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 Santiago and Seoul

The straight-line distance from Santiago to Seoul is 18,357 km (11,407 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~22h 6m.

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