Cotabato City is one of the cities of the Philippines located in Mindanao. Cotabato City is found within the boundaries of Maguindanao, but is independent of that province. Cotabato City is distinct from and should not be confused with the province of Cotabato.

Cotabato City is an important city in Mindanao. It is the administrative center of two regions: the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and SOCCSKSARGEN. Cotabato City is officially part of the latter.

Cotabato's population was about 147.000 in 1999.

Cotabato is approximately 698.9 nautical miles from Manila, the country's capital, and is bounded by the municipalities of Sultan Kudarat to the north—with Rio Grande de Mindanao separating the two—Kabuntalan to the east, and Datu Odin Sinsuat to the south. The city faces Illana Bay , part of the Moro Gulf, to the west. Cotabato City has a total land area of 176.0 square kilometers.