Kilometer to Meter Converter

Kilo means a thousand, so 1 km = 1,000 m. Multiply kilometres by 1,000 to get metres.

How to use the Kilometer to Meter Converter

1. Type the number of kilometres into the Kilometres field. Decimals such as 0.5 are fine.
2. Read the answer in Metres – it updates as you type, with no button to press.
3. To convert the other way, type into Metres and the kilometres are recalculated.
4. Press Copy results to copy both values with the page title, or Copy link to share this exact conversion.

This page converts only km ⇄ m. Need a different unit? Use the general length converter, where you can choose any “from” and “to” unit.

How it works

Both units measure length, so they are always in the same ratio: one kilometre equals 1,000 metres. The calculator multiplies the number of kilometres you type by 1,000 to give metres, and when you type into the metres field it divides by the same factor to give kilometres. Because the ratio never changes, doubling the kilometres always doubles the metres. Results are calculated at full precision and rounded only for display (up to eight decimal places, with very large or small values shown in scientific notation).

How to convert kilometres to metres

1. Write down the value in kilometres, for example 1 km.
2. Multiply by the conversion factor 1,000 (because 1 kilometre = 1,000 m).
3. 1 × 1,000 = 1,000 m.
4. To go back from metres to kilometres, divide by 1,000 – or multiply by 0.001.

km to m conversion table

What is a kilometre?

A kilometre is 1,000 metres. It is the standard unit for road distances, maps, running races and travel in almost every country except the U.S. and UK, where miles are still used on road signs.

What is a metre?

The metre is the SI base unit of length. Since 1983 it has been defined as the distance light travels in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second, which ties it to a fundamental constant rather than a physical bar of metal.

Common mistakes to avoid

Mixing the international foot (0.3048 m) with the old u.s. survey foot, confusing nautical and statute miles, and writing decimal feet such as 5.5 ft as “5 ft 5 in” (it is 5 ft 6 in).