Sydney
12,368 km²
Melbourne
9,993 km²
Australia
Australia
Area Comparison
Sydney is 1.2x larger than Melbourne
Population Comparison
Sydney has 1.0x more people than Melbourne
In terms of area, Sydney is 1.2x the size of Melbourne. Sydney spans 12,368 km² (4,775 mi²) while Melbourne covers 9,993 km² (3,858 mi²) — a difference of 2,375 km².
To put Sydney's size in perspective, its area of 12,368 km² is about 2.0x the size of Shanghai. Meanwhile, Melbourne at 9,993 km² is about 1.6x the size of Shanghai.
Sydney's footprint is roughly about 1,700,000 American football fields, 120 times the area of Paris, or 100 times the area of San Francisco — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. For Melbourne, that's about 1,400,000 American football fields, 170 times the area of Manhattan, or 95 times the area of Paris.
Sydney is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and is the most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about 80 kilometres (50 mi) from the Pacific Ocean in the east to the Blue Mountains in the west, and about 80 kilometres (50 mi) from Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and the Hawkesbury River in the north and north-west, to the Royal National Park and Macarthur in the south and south-west.
Known as "Sydneysiders", Sydney covers 12,368 km² with a population of 5.3 million. The city was established in 1788. Sydney is known for Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Bondi Beach, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Sydney Trains.
Sydney stretches roughly 80 km from the Pacific Ocean in the east to the Blue Mountains in the west.
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second most-populous city in Australia. The city's name generally refers to a 9,993-square-kilometre (3,858 sq mi) area, comprising an urban agglomeration of 31 local government areas. The name is also used to specifically refer to the local government area named City of Melbourne, whose area is centred on the Melbourne central business district and some immediate surrounds.
Melbourne has an area of 9,993 km² and is home to 5.1 million people. It was established in 1835. Visitors come for Federation Square, Flinders Street Station, Melbourne Cricket Ground, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Melbourne Trams & Metro.
Melbourne's metropolitan area spans 9,993 square kilometers across 31 local government areas, making it Australia's second-most-populous city.
Looking beyond city limits, the Sydney metropolitan area covers 12,368 km², which is 1.2x larger than greater Melbourne at 9,993 km². The Sydney metro area is also more populous, with 5.3 million people compared to 5.1 million.
Sydney has a population density of 429 people per km² — a low-density, sprawling urban area. Melbourne, with 508 people per km², is a relatively spread-out city. Both cities have comparable density, though Melbourne is slightly more compact.
Both Sydney and Melbourne are in Australia, making this a domestic size comparison that reveals how differently cities can develop within the same nation.
Sydney has a humid subtropical climate while Melbourne experiences oceanic conditions.
Sydney covers 12,368 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Chengdu (14,378 km²), Xi'an (10,097 km²), Melbourne (9,993 km²), Brisbane (15,826 km²), or Beijing (16,411 km²).
Melbourne covers 9,993 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Xi'an (10,097 km²), Wuhan (8,569 km²), Sydney (12,368 km²), Guangzhou (7,434 km²), or Chengdu (14,378 km²).
The straight-line distance from Sydney to Melbourne is 713 km (443 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~1h 20m. See full distance details, including timezone difference and city facts.
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