City Map Compare/São Paulo vs Seattle
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São Paulo

1,521 km²

Seattle

369 km²

São Paulo vs Seattle - City Size Comparison

São Paulo vs Seattle - City Size Comparison

São Paulo

Brazil

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

United States

Area369 km²
Population0.74M
Density2,005 /km²
Elevation40 m
Founded1851

Area Comparison

São Paulo is 4.1x larger than Seattle

Population Comparison

São Paulo has 16.7x more people than Seattle

Is São Paulo Bigger Than Seattle?

In terms of area, São Paulo is 4.1x the size of Seattle. São Paulo spans 1,521 km² (587 mi²) while Seattle covers 369 km² (142 mi²) — a difference of 1,152 km². You could fit Seattle inside São Paulo approximately 4 times.

To put São Paulo's size in perspective, its area of 1,521 km² is roughly the same size as London. Meanwhile, Seattle at 369 km² is about 1.6x smaller than Seoul.

São Paulo's footprint is roughly about 213,000 American football fields, 26 times the area of Manhattan, or 14 times the area of Paris — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Seattle works out to about 52,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Monaco, or 110 times the area of Central Park.

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…

Known as "Sampa", São Paulo covers 1,521 km² with a population of 12.3 million. The city was established in 1554. São Paulo is known for Avenida Paulista, Ibirapuera Park, São Paulo Museum of Art, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the São Paulo Metro.

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

About Seattle

Seattle is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region of North America. It is the 18th-most populous city in the United States with a population of 780,995 in 2024, while the Seattle metropolitan area at over 4.15 million residents is the 15th-most populous metropolitan area in the nation. The city is the county seat of King County, the most populous county in Washington.

Often called "The Emerald City", Seattle has an area of 369 km² and is home to 0.7 million people. It was established in 1851. Visitors come for Space Needle, Pike Place Market, Starbucks headquarters, and much more.

Seattle is Washington's most populous city with 780,995 residents in 2024, anchoring the Pacific Northwest.

Population Density

São Paulo has a population density of 8,107 people per km² — a densely populated city. Seattle, with 2,005 people per km², is a moderately dense city. São Paulo is dramatically more crowded, with 4.0x the population density.

Key Differences at a Glance

Size Ratio

Seattle fits inside São Paulo ~4 times

Density Gap

São Paulo is 4.0x more densely populated

History

São Paulo is ~297 years older

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).

Cities Similar in Size to Seattle

Seattle covers 369 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Philadelphia (370 km²), Dhaka (368 km²), Portland (376 km²), Atlanta (348 km²), or Denver (401 km²).

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Is São Paulo actually bigger than Seattle?
São Paulo is 4.1 times larger than Seattle by area. São Paulo covers 1,521 km² while Seattle spans 369 km², a difference of 1,152 km².
How many times does Seattle fit inside São Paulo?
Seattle (369 km²) fits inside São Paulo (1,521 km²) approximately 4 times. That means São Paulo is 4.1x the area of Seattle.
What is the population difference between São Paulo and Seattle?
São Paulo has approximately 12.3 million people, while Seattle has about 0.7 million. São Paulo has 11.6 million more residents.
Which city is more densely populated, São Paulo or Seattle?
São Paulo is more densely populated with 8,107 people per km², compared to 2,005 people per km².
Which city is older, São Paulo or Seattle?
São Paulo is older, founded around 1554, while Seattle was established around 1851 — a difference of about 297 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 São Paulo and Seattle

The straight-line distance from São Paulo to Seattle is 10,918 km (6,784 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~13h 21m.

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