Is Chongqing the Biggest City in China?

From the map of China, we can see that a large area has been designated as “Chongqing”. You may ask how it can be only a single city? Is Chongqing really the largest?

During preparations for travel to Chongqing, we may use a comparison between Shanghai and other destinations as a reference to select the most appropriate one.

Is Chongqing Really the Biggest City?

Yes, also no.

Chongqing is the biggest in terms of administrative area and all permanent residents. However, if we compare the density of urban areas and the total city-centrality area in Shanghai and Beijing, the answer may be no.

Why Chongqing Is Considered So Big?

Area of Chongqing

The area of Chongqing is 82,402 square kilometers. This is even bigger than some countries.

It has not yet reached the level of a “megacity”. In general, most of these places are the countryside, mountains and small towns. The urban area is only about 5,473 square kilometers. It has a considerable scale, but not so huge as the whole administrative area of the city.

Population of Chongqing.

By 2026, there were approximately 31.9 million people living permanently in Chongqing. This exceeds that of Shanghai: approximately 24.85 million; Beijing: approximately 21.86 million. Yes, there are more people in Chongqing at present.

Similarly to the area of land, these 32 million people do not gather as one large unit. Although Shanghai has very limited land, it often feels extremely overcrowded in the central business district.

What Are the Biggest Cities in China by Population?

If you want to know the biggest cities in China, their ranking is unstable due to counting differences between the entire city and its urban area.

Here is the general 1-5 ranking by permanent population:

Chongqing with about 31.90 million people
Shanghai with about 24.85 million people
Beijing with about 21.86 million people
Chengdu with about 21.40 million people
Guangzhou with about 18.98 million people

Shanghai – The Most Densely Populated “Big City”

Area: 6,340.5 km²
Population: 24.85 million
Vibe: Fast-paced, contemporary, international

Shanghai has its well-known “sky-crawlers” at The Bund, shops along Nanjing Road, and a wonderland called Shanghai Disneyland. If you like the skyline and big cities, then Shanghai must be outstanding. Chongqing is relatively larger in total area, however, it feels very busy at its core.

Beijing – The Historic “Big City”

Area: 16,410.54 km²
Population: 21.86 million
Vibe: Cultural, grand, historical

Beijing is huge but spread out. Chongqing is a vertical city, while Beijing is an urban layout that is horizontal. You’ll rely a lot on the subway. It’s less compacted than Shanghai, but it has a rich history.

Chengdu – The “Big & Relaxed” City

Area: 14,378 km²
Population: 21.40 million
Vibe: Chill, foodie paradise

Chengdu is a city that’s close to Chongqing. It is a place to relax and try some of the local foods. You can visit the panda research center and try some Sichuan hotpot.

Guangzhou – The “Gateway City” of Southern China

Area: 7,434.4 km²
Population: 18.98 million
Vibe: International, business-focused with deep Cantonese culture

If you’re heading to the south of China. Guangzhou is among the most convenient for travelers. It has excellent food, few tourists at present time and an unhurried lifestyle.

Sansha & Hulunbuir – The “Largest by Area”

Sansha: 2,000,000 km²
Hulunbuir: 263,953 km²

Sansha (mostly South China Sea islands) and Hulunbuir (Inner Mongolian grasslands) are technically larger on paper. These areas have a greater technical size than Chongqing. Very few people live there (only around 2,200 on Sansha).

Chongqing vs. Shanghai vs. Beijing

Aspect	Chongqing	Shanghai	Beijing
Total Administrative Area (km²)	82,402	6,340.5	16,410.54
Permanent Population (Million)	31.90	24.85	21.86
Annual Average Temperature (℃)	18.4℃, hot and humid in summer (over 40℃)	17.1℃, mild and humid all year round	12.9℃, cold in winter, cool in summer
City Vibe	Hilly, 8D terrain, river views, lively	Modern, dense, glamorous, fast-paced	Historic, sprawling, cultural, imperial heritage
Signature Cuisine	Chongqing hot pot, spicy noodles, maocai, Chen Ma Hua	Xiaolongbao (steamed dumplings), Shanghai hairy crab, sweet and sour pork	Peking duck, Zhajiangmian, hot pot, imperial pastries
Transportation	Subway is convenient; hills are tiring to climb; High-speed railway from Chengdu (≤2 hours)	Complete subway network, convenient airport and high-speed rail; easy navigation.	Wide range of underground transportation facilities; distributed and connected by underground railway
Travel Budget	Affordable	High	Medium to high

Chongqing Travel Guide

Best Time to Visit Chongqing

Spring (Mar-Apr) and Autumn (Sep-Nov) are suitable. The temperature range is around 15-25°C. It will be sufficiently warm most of the time during this period.

Must-Try Experiences

Hongya Cave for night scenes that appear as if taken from Spirited Away.
Jiefangbei Pedestrian Street for shopping and local food.
Yangtze River Cableway for a panorama of the river and city.
Liziba light rail for experiencing a railway system running under one or more buildings.
Ciqikou Ancient Town for the traditional architecture and handmade souvenirs.

Food You Cannot Miss

Chongqing hot pot, order “Wei La” or mild-spicy if you don’t like it very hot.
Numbing and flavorful spicy noodles.
Maocai, spicy hot pot of vegetables and meat.
Chen Ma Hua (sugar-cured sesame candy), which is perfectly suited as a sweet-spicy snack.

Transportation

If you plan to go to both Chongqing and Chengdu, then take the high-speed train. It can cover more than 170 kilometres in about two hours. Trains are suitable for your trip to China if you want to travel through several places.

Travel Tips

Wear comfortable shoes. Chongqing has many hills, so you will need to walk a lot!
Subway is a highly practical and is a low-cost mode of travel here.
Don’t believe navigation 100%. The 8D terrain (overpasses, tunnels, hills) may trick any skilled system into failing accurately.

Explore Big Cities in China with China Xian Tour

Planning everything during the trip may be too much for you. China Xian Tour can help! We organize itineraries covering multiple cities, arrange transportation, make appointments with tour guides, and provide personalized trip plans to suit different interests or preferences, allowing you more time for sightseeing in those big cities in China.