Taipei vs Seoul - City Size Comparison

Is Taipei Bigger Than Seoul?

In terms of area, Seoul is 2.2x the size of Taipei. Seoul spans 605 km² (234 mi²) while Taipei covers 272 km² (105 mi²) — a difference of 333 km². You could fit Taipei inside Seoul approximately 2 times.

About Taipei

Taiwan's capital and a major tech hub in East Asia. Known as "The Silicon Island Capital", Taipei covers 272 km² with a population of 2.6 million. The city was established in 1709. Taipei is known for Taipei 101, Night markets, National Palace Museum, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Taipei Metro (MRT).

Taipei 101 was the world's tallest building from 2004 to 2010 and has a 730-ton tuned mass damper visible to visitors

About Seoul

Capital of South Korea and a major tech hub. Nicknamed "The Soul of Asia", Seoul has an area of 605 km² and is home to 9.8 million people. It was founded around 18 BC. Visitors come for Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gangnam district, K-pop culture, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Seoul Metro.

Seoul's metro area contains nearly half of South Korea's entire population

Metropolitan Area Comparison

Looking beyond city limits, the Seoul metropolitan area covers 11,704 km², which is 4.8x larger than greater Taipei at 2,458 km². The Seoul metro area is also more populous, with 25.5 million people compared to 7.0 million.

Population Density

Taipei has a population density of 9,743 people per km² — a densely populated city. Seoul, with 16,149 people per km², is an extremely dense urban environment. Seoul is noticeably denser, packing 1.7 times more people per square kilometer.

Climate & Time Zone

Taipei has a humid subtropical climate while Seoul experiences humid continental conditions. Winters differ dramatically: Taipei stays around 16°C while Seoul drops to -3°C.