📏 Feet to CM Converter (Feet to Centimeters)
By Shihab Mia · Updated 2026-07-30
Remember: 1 foot = 30.48 cm exactly. Type in either box and the other updates instantly. Since 1 foot is 12 inches and 1 inch is 2.54 cm, 12 x 2.54 gives the 30.48 cm-per-foot constant used here.
| Height (ft and in) | Centimeters (cm) |
|---|
A feet to cm converter changes feet into centimeters using one exact fact: 1 foot equals 30.48 centimeters. To convert feet to cm you multiply by 30.48, so 6 feet becomes 182.88 cm. To go the other way you divide by 30.48, so 180 cm becomes about 5.91 feet, or 5 ft 10.9 in. Type a number into either box above and this tool instantly updates the other value, along with a feet and inches breakdown, which is exactly what you need when comparing a height, a doorway, or a piece of furniture measured in different units.
What is the Feet to CM Converter?
Feet and centimeters are both units of length, but they come from two different measurement systems: feet belong to the imperial (US customary) system, while centimeters belong to the metric system. A feet to cm converter bridges the two by applying a single, exact constant: 1 foot = 30.48 centimeters. That number is not an approximation, it comes directly from the internationally agreed definition of the inch (1 inch = 2.54 cm) multiplied by 12, since 1 foot contains 12 inches. So 12 x 2.54 = 30.48, and every feet to cm conversion on this page uses that exact figure, with no rounding error creeping in.
The formula itself is simple: centimeters = feet x 30.48. To convert cm back to feet, divide by 30.48 instead. For example, 5 feet converts to 5 x 30.48 = 152.4 cm, and 6 feet converts to 6 x 30.48 = 182.88 cm, a common way to state an average adult male height. Going the other direction, 170 cm divided by 30.48 gives roughly 5.58 feet. Because decimal feet are awkward to picture, this feet to cm converter also breaks the centimeter figure into whole feet plus remaining inches, so 182.88 cm displays as 6 ft 0.0 in instead of a lone decimal.
This conversion shows up constantly outside the classroom. Height is the most common case: US and UK height charts, sports statistics, and casting or modeling profiles are usually written in feet and inches, while medical charts and most of the world's countries use centimeters. Furniture, door frames, ceiling heights, and DIY project measurements are another frequent source of feet-to-cm mix-ups, especially when a US-made item's spec sheet needs to be checked against a metric room or an import listing. A feet to cm converter removes the mental math and the risk of a dropped decimal.
A quick note on precision: because 30.48 is an exact, defined constant and not a rounded approximation, feet to cm conversions never introduce error, only the display rounding you choose. The reference table below rounds centimeters to two decimal places, which is more precision than almost any real-world use needs, but it lets you check the exact figure for a specific inch-by-inch height. When you convert feet to cm and then convert that cm value straight back to feet, you should land on the same original number, a handy way to sanity-check any manual calculation.
When to use it
- Converting a US height listed in feet and inches (e.g. 5 ft 9 in) into centimeters for an international form, visa application, or medical record.
- Checking a piece of furniture or appliance spec sheet that lists dimensions in feet against a room measured in centimeters.
- Comparing height between two people or two online profiles when one uses feet and inches and the other uses centimeters.
- Converting a door, ceiling, or construction measurement from feet to cm for a metric blueprint or an import listing.
How to use the Feet to CM Converter
- Type the number of feet into the Feet (ft) box.
- Read the matching centimeters value, which fills in automatically (feet x 30.48).
- To convert the other way, type centimeters into the Centimeters (cm) box instead and the feet figure updates.
- Check the feet and inches breakdown under the result, then use Copy result to save the full conversion.
Formula & method
Worked examples
Convert 5.5 ft to cm (a height listed as 5 feet 6 inches).
- Start with the value in feet: 5.5 ft.
- Use the rule centimeters = feet x 30.48.
- 5.5 x 30.48 = 167.64.
- So 5.5 ft = 167.64 cm.
Result: 5.5 ft = 167.64 cm
Convert 175 cm to feet and inches.
- Start with the value in centimeters: 175 cm.
- Use the rule feet = centimeters / 30.48.
- 175 / 30.48 = 5.7415 ft (rounded to 4 decimal places).
- Convert the decimal part to inches: 0.7415 x 12 = 8.9 in, so 175 cm = 5 ft 8.9 in.
Result: 175 cm = 5.74 ft (5 ft 8.9 in)
Common heights: 5 ft to 6 ft 6 in in cm
| Height (ft and in) | Centimeters (cm) |
|---|---|
| 5 ft 0 in | 152.40 cm |
| 5 ft 1 in | 154.94 cm |
| 5 ft 2 in | 157.48 cm |
| 5 ft 3 in | 160.02 cm |
| 5 ft 4 in | 162.56 cm |
| 5 ft 5 in | 165.10 cm |
| 5 ft 6 in | 167.64 cm |
| 5 ft 7 in | 170.18 cm |
| 5 ft 8 in | 172.72 cm |
| 5 ft 9 in | 175.26 cm |
| 5 ft 10 in | 177.80 cm |
| 5 ft 11 in | 180.34 cm |
| 6 ft 0 in | 182.88 cm |
| 6 ft 1 in | 185.42 cm |
| 6 ft 2 in | 187.96 cm |
| 6 ft 3 in | 190.50 cm |
| 6 ft 4 in | 193.04 cm |
| 6 ft 5 in | 195.58 cm |
| 6 ft 6 in | 198.12 cm |
How feet, inches and centimeters relate
| Unit | Equals |
|---|---|
| 1 foot (ft) | 12 inches (in) |
| 1 foot (ft) | 30.48 centimeters (cm) |
| 1 inch (in) | 2.54 centimeters (cm) |
| 1 meter (m) | 100 centimeters (cm), about 3.28 ft |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using 30 cm per foot instead of 30.48. Some people round 1 foot to 30 cm for quick mental math, but the real, exact figure is 30.48 cm. Over a height of 6 ft, that rounding error adds up to more than 3 cm, enough to matter on an official form.
- Mixing up multiply and divide. Converting feet to cm means multiplying by 30.48; converting cm to feet means dividing by 30.48. Swap the operation and a 180 cm height turns into an absurd 5,486 cm instead of the correct 5.91 ft.
- Forgetting decimal feet are not feet and inches. 5.5 feet is not "5 feet 5 inches", it is 5 feet 6 inches, because the 0.5 is half of 12 inches (6 inches), not a direct inch count. Convert the decimal portion by multiplying by 12, not by reading it as inches directly.
- Confusing cm with mm or m. Centimeters, millimeters and meters are all metric but scale very differently: 1 cm = 10 mm, and 1 m = 100 cm. A feet to cm converter only outputs centimeters, so double check the unit before reusing the number in a millimeter or meter measurement.
Glossary
- Foot (ft)
- An imperial unit of length equal to 12 inches or 30.48 centimeters.
- Inch (in)
- An imperial unit of length equal to 2.54 centimeters, with 12 inches making one foot.
- Centimeter (cm)
- A metric unit of length equal to one hundredth of a meter, defined internationally as exactly 1 divided by 2.54 of an inch.
- Meter (m)
- The base metric unit of length, equal to 100 centimeters or about 3.28 feet.
- Imperial system
- The system of measurement used mainly in the United States that includes inches, feet, yards and miles.
- Metric system
- The decimal-based system of measurement, including millimeters, centimeters and meters, used by most countries worldwide.
Frequently asked questions
How many cm is 1 foot?
1 foot equals exactly 30.48 centimeters. This is a fixed, internationally defined constant, not a rounded approximation.
How do I convert feet to cm?
Multiply the number of feet by 30.48. For example, 6 ft x 30.48 = 182.88 cm, and 5 ft x 30.48 = 152.4 cm.
How many cm is 6 feet?
6 feet equals 182.88 cm, calculated as 6 x 30.48. This is a common way to express an average adult male height.
How do I convert cm to feet?
Divide the number of centimeters by 30.48. For example, 180 cm / 30.48 is about 5.91 feet, or 5 ft 10.9 in.
Is 5 feet the same as 152 cm?
5 feet equals 152.4 cm exactly, so 152 cm is very close but about 0.4 cm short of a true 5 feet.
How many inches and cm are in a foot?
One foot contains 12 inches, and each inch equals 2.54 cm, so one foot equals 12 x 2.54 = 30.48 cm.