How many centimetres is one foot?

One foot is exactly 30.48 centimetres. This is an exact definition under the international yard and pound agreement of 1959, which defined 1 inch as exactly 2.54 cm. Since there are 12 inches in a foot, 1 foot equals 12 x 2.54 = 30.48 cm exactly.

How do I convert 5 feet 10 inches to centimetres?

Convert the feet and inches to a total number of inches first, then multiply by 2.54. 5 feet 10 inches equals (5 x 12) + 10 = 70 inches. 70 x 2.54 = 177.8 cm. Alternatively, convert the feet and inches separately and add: 5 x 30.48 = 152.4 cm plus 10 x 2.54 = 25.4 cm gives 177.8 cm.

Why do New Zealanders use both feet and centimetres?

New Zealand officially adopted the metric system in the early 1970s, so centimetres are the standard unit for height and length in official, medical, and scientific contexts. However, feet and inches remain widely used informally, especially for personal height, because many older New Zealanders grew up with imperial measurements and the usage has persisted across generations. It is common for people to know their height in both feet-and-inches and centimetres.

Foot to Centimeter Converter

Convert feet (and optional inches) to centimetres instantly. One foot equals exactly 30.48 centimetres. Enter your feet and inches below to get the precise cm result, plus a full reference table for common heights and lengths.

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Exact conversion 1 foot = 30.48 cm (defined exactly, International yard and pound agreement 1959).

1. Enter Your Measurement

Input mode

Feet

Inches (0 to 11)

2. Result

Input -

Total inches -

Total feet (decimal) -

Result in centimetres -

Result in metres -

Conversion Result

Feet

ft input

Inches

in input

Centimetres
-
cm result

Metres

m result

Result: Enter a value above to convert.

Common Heights and Lengths Reference Table

Feet and Inches	Decimal Feet	Total Inches	Centimetres	Metres

How to Convert Feet to Centimetres

The conversion from feet to centimetres uses the exact factor of 30.48 centimetres per foot. This is not an approximation: in 1959 the international yard and pound agreement defined 1 inch as exactly 2.54 centimetres. Since there are 12 inches in a foot, 1 foot = 12 x 2.54 = 30.48 cm exactly.

Formula

cm = feet x 30.48

If you have feet and inches together, convert everything to inches first, then multiply by 2.54:

cm = (feet x 12 + inches) x 2.54

Equivalently: cm = feet x 30.48 + inches x 2.54

Worked Example (Default Values)

Step	Calculation	Result
Input	6 feet 0 inches	6 ft 0 in
Total inches	6 x 12 + 0	72 inches
Convert to cm	72 x 2.54	182.88 cm
Convert to m	182.88 / 100	1.8288 m

A person who is 6 feet tall is exactly 182.88 cm, or 1.8288 metres tall.

Common Conversions

Imperial	Centimetres	Metres
5 ft 0 in	152.40 cm	1.524 m
5 ft 4 in	162.56 cm	1.626 m
5 ft 6 in	167.64 cm	1.676 m
5 ft 8 in	172.72 cm	1.727 m
5 ft 10 in	177.80 cm	1.778 m
6 ft 0 in	182.88 cm	1.829 m
6 ft 2 in	187.96 cm	1.880 m
6 ft 4 in	193.04 cm	1.930 m

Feet and Inches in New Zealand

New Zealand adopted the metric system in stages during the 1970s. Centimetres and metres are the official standard for height, length, and distance in medical, scientific, and government contexts. However, feet and inches remain common in everyday conversation, particularly for personal height. Many New Zealanders know their height in both feet-and-inches and centimetres, and both appear on driver licences issued before the metric changeover as well as in older property documents and building plans. When dealing with imported goods, US publications, or older measurements, converting between feet and centimetres is a frequent need.

Decimal Feet vs Feet and Inches

Some contexts (especially surveying, engineering drawings, and US real estate) express lengths in decimal feet rather than feet and inches. For example, 6.5 ft means 6 feet and 6 inches (because 0.5 x 12 = 6 inches). To convert decimal feet to cm, simply multiply by 30.48. For example: 6.5 ft x 30.48 = 198.12 cm. The calculator above supports both formats.

Related Calculators

Essential Calculators: full collection of converters and tools.
cm to ft in Converter: reverse conversion from centimetres back to feet and inches.
cm to m Converter: convert centimetres to metres.
Yards to Meters Conversion: convert yards to metres.
Area Conversion Calculator: convert between square feet, square metres, and other area units.

Sources and method: International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM). International yard and pound agreement (1959), defining 1 inch = 2.54 cm exactly. Therefore 1 foot = 12 x 2.54 = 30.48 cm exactly. Conversion factor is exact with no rounding error.

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