Shanghai
6,341 km²
Toronto
630 km²
China
Canada
Area Comparison
Shanghai is 10.1x larger than Toronto
Population Comparison
Shanghai has 8.5x more people than Toronto
Shanghai is significantly larger, covering 10.1 times the area of Toronto. Shanghai spans 6,341 km² (2,448 mi²) while Toronto covers 630 km² (243 mi²) — a difference of 5,711 km². You could fit Toronto inside Shanghai approximately 10 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, Toronto at 630 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul.
Picture Shanghai another way: its area is large enough to fit about 888,000 American football fields, 110 times the area of Manhattan, or 60 times the area of Paris. Toronto works out to about 88,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 11 times the area of Manhattan.
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.
Toronto is the most populous city in Canada and the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. It is located on a harbour at the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. The city is the fourth-most populous city in North America, behind Mexico City, New York City, and Los Angeles, with a census population of 2,794,356 as of 2021.
Nicknamed "The Six", Toronto has an area of 630 km² and is home to 2.9 million people. It was established in 1793. Visitors come for CN Tower, Rogers Centre, Distillery District, and much more. Getting around is easy with the TTC Subway.
Toronto is the fourth-most populous city in North America, ranking behind only Mexico City, New York City, and Los Angeles.
Looking beyond city limits, the Shanghai metropolitan area covers 6,341 km², which is 1.1x larger than greater Toronto at 5,906 km². The Shanghai metro area is also more populous, with 28.5 million people compared to 6.2 million.
Shanghai has a population density of 3,922 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Toronto, with 4,651 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Both cities have comparable density, though Toronto is slightly more compact.
This comparison spans continents — Shanghai in Asia versus Toronto in North America. Despite the geographic distance, comparing their sizes reveals surprising insights about how cities grow worldwide.
Shanghai has a humid subtropical climate while Toronto experiences humid continental conditions. When it's noon in Shanghai, it's midnight in Toronto — a 13-hour time difference.
Size Ratio
Toronto fits inside Shanghai ~10 times
Time Difference
13 hours apart
History
Shanghai is ~502 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).
Toronto covers 630 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Hyderabad (650 km²), Chicago (606 km²), Seoul (605 km²), Madrid (604 km²), or Mumbai (603 km²).
The straight-line distance from Shanghai to Toronto is 11,422 km (7,097 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~13h 56m.
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