Seoul
605 km²
Zurich
88 km²
South Korea
Switzerland
Area Comparison
Seoul is 6.9x larger than Zurich
Population Comparison
Seoul has 22.7x more people than Zurich
Yes — Seoul is 6.9x larger than Zurich by area. Seoul spans 605 km² (234 mi²) while Zurich covers 88 km² (34 mi²) — a difference of 517 km². You could fit Zurich inside Seoul approximately 6 times.
To put Seoul's size in perspective, its area of 605 km² is about 1.3x smaller than New York City. Meanwhile, Zurich at 88 km² is about 1.2x smaller than Paris (city proper).
Picture Seoul another way: its area is large enough to fit about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan. Zurich works out to about 12,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Vatican City, or 44 times the area of Monaco.
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 covers 605 km² with a population of 9.8 million. The city was founded around 18 BC. Seoul is known for Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gangnam district, Myeongdong shopping, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is 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.
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. As of the end of 2024, the municipality had a population of 436,551, while the urban area was home to 1.45 million people (2020), and the Zurich metropolitan area had a total population of 2.1 million (2020). Zurich is a hub for railways, roads, and air traffic.
Zurich has an area of 88 km² and is home to 0.4 million people. Its history stretches back to 15 BC. Visitors come for Lake Zurich, Bahnhofstrasse, Grossmünster, and much more. Getting around is easy with the ZVV (S-Bahn & Tram).
Zurich is Switzerland's largest city and sits at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich in north-central Switzerland.
Looking beyond city limits, the Seoul metropolitan area covers 11,704 km², which is 8.8x larger than greater Zurich at 1,334 km². The Seoul metro area is also more populous, with 25.5 million people compared to 1.4 million.
Seoul has a population density of 16,149 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Zurich, with 4,886 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Seoul is dramatically more crowded, with 3.3x the population density.
This comparison spans continents — Seoul in Asia versus Zurich in Europe. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Seoul has a humid continental climate while Zurich experiences oceanic conditions. When it's noon in Seoul, it's 4:00 AM in Zurich — a 8-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Zurich fits inside Seoul ~6 times
Density Gap
Seoul is 3.3x more densely populated
Time Difference
8 hours apart
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).
Zurich covers 88 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Copenhagen (91 km²), Lisbon (100 km²), Barcelona (101 km²), Paris (105 km²), or Vancouver (115 km²).
The straight-line distance from Seoul to Zurich is 8,770 km (5,449 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~10h 49m.
Want to explore more? Compare city sizes for any two cities worldwide, or share your location live with friends.