Shanghai
6,341 km²
Taipei
272 km²
China
Taiwan
Area Comparison
Shanghai is 23.3x larger than Taipei
Population Comparison
Shanghai has 9.4x more people than Taipei
Shanghai is significantly larger, covering 23.3 times the area of Taipei. Shanghai spans 6,341 km² (2,448 mi²) while Taipei covers 272 km² (105 mi²) — a difference of 6,069 km². You could fit Taipei inside Shanghai approximately 23 times.
To put Shanghai's size in perspective, its area of 6,341 km² is about 1.5x the size of Los Angeles metro. Meanwhile, Taipei at 272 km² is about 1.2x the size of Amsterdam.
Shanghai's footprint is roughly about 888,000 American football fields, 110 times the area of Manhattan, or 60 times the area of Paris — 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.
Shanghai is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. It has a population of 29,558,908 in the urban area as of 2025. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River bisecting the city. Shanghai is a global center for finance, business and economics, research, science and technology, manufacturing, transportation, tourism, and culture. The Port of Shanghai is the world's busiest container port.
Known as "Pearl of the Orient", Shanghai covers 6,341 km² with a population of 24.9 million. The city was established in 1291. Shanghai is known for The Bund, Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai Tower, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Shanghai Metro.
Shanghai's urban population reached 29.5 million in 2025, making it the most populous urban area in all of China.
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.
Looking beyond city limits, the Shanghai metropolitan area covers 6,341 km², which is 2.6x larger than greater Taipei at 2,458 km². The Shanghai metro area is also more populous, with 28.5 million people compared to 7.0 million.
Shanghai has a population density of 3,922 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Taipei, with 9,743 people per km², is a densely populated city. Taipei is noticeably denser, packing 2.5 times more people per square kilometer.
Both cities are in Asia, but they represent different national approaches to urban development. Shanghai (China) and Taipei (Taiwan) offer a fascinating regional contrast.
Both cities share a humid subtropical climate, though local geography creates distinct microclimates in each.
Size Ratio
Taipei fits inside Shanghai ~23 times
Density Gap
Taipei is 2.5x more densely populated
History
Shanghai is ~418 years older
Shanghai covers 6,341 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Perth (6,417 km²), Istanbul (5,461 km²), Guangzhou (7,434 km²), Wuhan (8,569 km²), or Dubai (4,114 km²).
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).
The straight-line distance from Shanghai to Taipei is 689 km (428 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~1h 19m.
Want to explore more? Compare city sizes for any two cities worldwide, or share your location live with friends.