How to Convert Kilometres to Metres (km to m)
Length conversions come up when reading overseas furniture specs, cycling the Round Island Route in kilometres while a foreign app shows miles, or checking marine distances in the Singapore Strait in nautical miles. This guide shows how to convert kilometres into metres by hand, with examples and a quick-reference table.
The conversion
To convert kilometres to metres, multiply the value by 1,000. To go the other way, divide by the same number (or multiply by 0.001). For a quick estimate, multiply by about 1,000.
Metres = kilometres × 1,000
Worked examples
- 3 km = 3,000 m
- 12.5 km = 12,500 m
- 75 km = 75,000 m
Kilometres to Metres table
| Kilometres | Metres |
|---|---|
| 1 km | 1,000 m |
| 2 km | 2,000 m |
| 5 km | 5,000 m |
| 10 km | 10,000 m |
| 20 km | 20,000 m |
| 25 km | 25,000 m |
| 50 km | 50,000 m |
| 100 km | 100,000 m |
| 250 km | 250,000 m |
| 500 km | 500,000 m |
| 1,000 km | 1,000,000 m |
Common questions
Is km to m exact?
The factors used here are the internationally defined values where they exist; results are rounded for display only.
How do I convert back?
Use the Metres to Kilometres converter.
Mistakes to avoid
Rounding the factor too early
Using 3 instead of 3.28 for feet per metre introduces an error of almost 9% before you have started.
Multiplying when you should divide
Converting to a smaller unit gives a bigger number, and converting to a larger unit gives a smaller one. If your answer moves the wrong way, you have inverted the factor.
Mixing similar-sounding units
US and imperial gallons, pints and tons are different sizes, and decimal kilobytes differ from binary kibibytes.
Background
For everyday use, three or four significant figures are usually enough. Engineering, science and trade documents may need more, and rounding should happen only at the end of a calculation.
Writing the units next to every number while you work is the simplest way to avoid mistakes. If the units do not cancel to leave the one you want, the calculation is set up wrongly.
Unit conversion is simply multiplication by a fixed ratio. The ratio between two units of the same quantity never changes, so once you know it you can convert any value in either direction.
For any value, use the Kilometres to Metres Converter or browse all length converters.
Run your own numbers: Kilometres to Metres Converter