Rio de Janeiro vs Buenos Aires - City Size Comparison

Is Rio de Janeiro Bigger Than Buenos Aires?

Yes — Rio de Janeiro is 6.0x larger than Buenos Aires by area. Rio de Janeiro spans 1,221 km² (471 mi²) while Buenos Aires covers 203 km² (78 mi²) — a difference of 1,018 km². You could fit Buenos Aires inside Rio de Janeiro approximately 6 times.

About Rio de Janeiro

Brazil's iconic coastal city known for Carnival. Known as "The Marvelous City", Rio de Janeiro covers 1,221 km² with a population of 6.8 million. The city was established in 1565. Rio de Janeiro is known for Christ the Redeemer, Copacabana Beach, Carnival, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the MetrôRio.

Rio's Christ the Redeemer statue is struck by lightning an average of 6 times per year

About Buenos Aires

Argentina's capital and a cultural powerhouse of South America. Also known as "The Paris of South America", Buenos Aires has an area of 203 km² and is home to 3.1 million people. Its history stretches back to 1536. Visitors come for Tango dancing, La Boca neighborhood, Recoleta Cemetery, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Buenos Aires Subte.

Buenos Aires has more bookstores per capita than any other city in the world

Metropolitan Area Comparison

Looking beyond city limits, the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area covers 6,744 km², which is 1.4x larger than greater Buenos Aires at 4,758 km². The Buenos Aires metro area is also more populous, with 15.2 million people compared to 13.5 million.

Population Density

Rio de Janeiro has a population density of 5,528 people per km² — a densely populated city. Buenos Aires, with 15,074 people per km², is an extremely dense urban environment. Buenos Aires is noticeably denser, packing 2.7 times more people per square kilometer.

Climate & Time Zone

Rio de Janeiro has a tropical savanna climate while Buenos Aires experiences humid subtropical conditions.