Height Converter: Feet and Inches to cm
Convert height between feet and inches and centimetres, both ways.
Good to know. Six feet is 182.88 cm. Anyone claiming 6 ft at 180 cm is rounding generously.
How it works
In plain words
Turn feet into inches (12 inches to a foot), add the inches, and multiply by 2.54 to get centimetres. Going the other way, divide centimetres by 2.54 for inches, then split into feet and inches.
The formula
cm = (feet × 12 + inches) × 2.54 inches = cm ÷ 2.54; feet = ⌊inches ÷ 12⌋
Worked example
5 ft 8 in is 5 × 12 + 8 = 68 inches, and 68 × 2.54 = 172.72, so 172.7 cm.
Sources
- NIST Special Publication 811, Guide for the Use of the International System of Units, Appendix B Exact conversion factors for US customary units.
- International yard and pound agreement, 1959 1 yard = 0.9144 m and 1 pound = 0.45359237 kg exactly, so 1 inch = 2.54 cm and 1 mile = 1.609344 km.
Sources checked September 30, 2026. 4 automated tests check its answers on every change.
About the height converter: feet and inches to cm
Height is one of the few measurements where feet and inches are still everyday use: in the US, the UK, Canada and on many dating and sports profiles. Everywhere else it is centimetres, or metres for medical forms. This converter goes both ways.
The conversion is exact. Since 1959, an inch has been defined as exactly 2.54 cm, so a foot is 30.48 cm. To convert 5 ft 8 in, turn it into inches (68) and multiply by 2.54: 172.72 cm, usually rounded to 173 cm or 172.7 cm.
Going from centimetres to feet and inches, the calculator rounds to the nearest inch, the way heights are normally stated, and shows the exact value underneath. 175 cm is 68.9 inches, which is 5 ft 9 in to the nearest inch.
A few reference points: 5 ft is 152.4 cm, 5 ft 6 in is 167.6 cm, 6 ft is 182.9 cm and 6 ft 6 in is 198.1 cm. For other lengths and distances, such as inches to centimetres for a screen or miles to kilometres, use the length converter. For weight in stone or pounds, use the weight converter.
Questions people ask
How many cm is 5 ft 8 in?
172.72 cm, usually rounded to 173 cm.
How tall is 180 cm in feet and inches?
About 5 ft 11 in (70.9 inches).
How many cm is 6 feet?
Exactly 182.88 cm: 72 inches × 2.54.
How do I convert height to metres?
Divide centimetres by 100. 172.7 cm is 1.727 m.