Why You Are Here
Inches to centimeters is the conversion you need when a measurement you know in inches must be communicated, recorded, or compared in a metric context. This happens in four distinct situations.
You are filling out an international form, medical record, visa application, or sports registration that requires height in centimeters but you only know your height in feet and inches. Every American knows their height in feet and inches. Almost no American instinctively knows their height in centimeters. This converter closes that gap.
You are shopping for clothing, shoes, or accessories from a brand that uses centimeter measurements on its size charts. A shirt with a 15.5 inch collar is a 39.4 cm collar in European sizing. A shoe size that references a 10.5 inch foot length corresponds to approximately 26.7 cm. Converting from your known inch measurement to centimeters lets you find the right size on an international chart.
You are specifying a screen, monitor, or display size. US consumers think in diagonal inches for screens. Some manufacturer specifications, particularly from European and Asian brands, list screen dimensions in centimeters. A 27-inch monitor diagonal equals 68.58 centimeters. Converting the inch diagonal to centimeters lets you match it against metric specifications.
You are working on a DIY, craft, or construction project where your measurements are in inches but the materials, patterns, or instructions are in centimeters.
The Conversion Factor and Formula
1 inch = 2.54 centimeters exactly. This is a legally defined, mathematically precise value. In 1959 the International Yard and Pound Agreement defined the inch as exactly 25.4 millimeters, which equals exactly 2.54 centimeters. This value has no approximation and will not change.
Basic Formula
Centimeters = Inches x 2.54 Example: Convert 10 inches to centimeters 10 x 2.54 = 25.4 cm
Converting Feet and Inches to CM
Step 1: Convert feet to inches (feet x 12) Step 2: Add remaining inches Step 3: Multiply total inches by 2.54 Example: Convert 5 feet 10 inches to centimeters 5 x 12 = 60 inches 60 + 10 = 70 total inches 70 x 2.54 = 177.8 centimeters // 5 ft 10 in = 177.8 cm // Most searched height conversion for adult males in the US
Height Reference Table — Inches to CM
The most frequently searched use of this converter. Common US heights in feet and inches with their centimeter equivalents:
| Height (ft) | Total Inches (in) | Centimerters (cm) |
|
4 ft 11 in |
59 in |
149.9 cm |
|
5 ft 0 in |
60 in |
152.4 cm |
|
5 ft 1 in |
61 in |
154.9 cm |
|
5 ft 2 in |
62 in |
157.5 cm |
|
5 ft 3 in |
63 in |
160.0 cm |
|
5 ft 4 in |
64 in |
162.6 cm |
|
5 ft 5 in |
65 in |
165.1 cm |
|
5 ft 6 in |
66 in |
167.6 cm |
|
5 ft 7 in |
67 in |
170.2 cm |
|
5 ft 8 in |
68 in |
172.7 cm |
|
5 ft 9 in |
69 in |
175.3 cm |
|
5 ft 10 in |
70 in |
177.8 cm |
|
5 ft 11 in |
71 in |
180.3 cm |
|
6 ft 0 in |
72 in |
182.9 cm |
|
6 ft 1 in |
73 in |
185.4 cm |
|
6 ft 2 in |
74 in |
187.9 cm |
|
6 ft 3 in |
75 in |
190.5 cm |
|
6 ft 4 in |
76 in |
193.0 cm |
General Inches to CM Conversion Examples
Quick reference for the most commonly needed inch to centimeter conversions:
| Inches (in) | Centimeters (cm) | Common Context |
|
0.25 in |
0.635 cm |
Quarter inch |
|
0.5 in |
1.270 cm |
Half inch |
|
1 in |
2.540 cm |
One inch, base conversion |
|
2 in |
5.080 cm |
Two inches |
|
3 in |
7.620 cm |
Three inches |
|
4 in |
10.160 cm |
Four inches |
|
5 in |
12.700 cm |
Five inches |
|
6 in |
15.240 cm |
Six inches, half a foot |
|
7 in |
17.780 cm |
Seven inches |
|
8 in |
20.320 cm |
Eight inches |
|
9 in |
22.860 cm |
Nine inches |
|
10 in |
25.400 cm |
Ten inches |
|
12 in |
30.480 cm |
Twelve inches, one foot |
|
18 in |
45.720 cm |
Eighteen inches, one and a half feet |
|
24 in |
60.960 cm |
Twenty-four inches, two feet |
|
36 in |
91.440 cm |
Thirty-six inches, one yard |
Screen Size Reference Table — Inches to CM
US screen sizes are always expressed as diagonal inches. Here are the most common screen sizes converted to centimeters for matching against metric specifications:
| Screen Size (in) | Diagonal (cm) | Common Product |
|
11 in |
27.9 cm |
Small laptop screen |
|
13 in |
33.0 cm |
Standard laptop screen |
|
14 in |
35.6 cm |
Medium laptop screen |
|
15.6 in |
39.6 cm |
Standard full-size laptop |
|
17 in |
43.2 cm |
Large laptop screen |
|
21.5 in |
54.6 cm |
Small desktop monitor |
|
24 in |
61.0 cm |
Standard office monitor |
|
27 in |
68.6 cm |
Popular large monitor |
|
32 in |
81.3 cm |
Large monitor or small TV |
|
40 in |
101.6 cm |
40-inch TV |
|
43 in |
109.2 cm |
43-inch TV |
|
50 in |
127.0 cm |
50-inch TV |
|
55 in |
139.7 cm |
55-inch TV |
|
65 in |
165.1 cm |
65-inch TV |
|
75 in |
190.5 cm |
75-inch TV |
|
85 in |
215.9 cm |
85-inch TV |
Inches Compared to Other Length Units
| 1 Inch Equals | Value | System | Common Use |
|
Centimeters (cm) |
2.54 cm |
Metric |
Most common everyday conversion |
|
Millimeters (mm) |
25.4 mm |
Metric |
Millimeter equivalent |
|
Meters (m) |
0.0254 m |
Metric |
Meter equivalent |
|
Feet (ft) |
0.0833 ft |
Imperial |
One twelfth of a foot |
|
Yards (yd) |
0.0278 yd |
Imperial |
Yard equivalent |
|
Miles (mi) |
0.0000158 mi |
Imperial |
Mile equivalent |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The formula multiplies inches by 2.54. If your measurement is in feet and inches, you must first convert the entire measurement to decimal inches before multiplying. 5 feet 6 inches is not 5.6 inches. It is 66 inches (5 multiplied by 12 equals 60, plus 6 equals 66). Multiplying 5.6 by 2.54 gives 14.22 cm which is completely wrong. The correct answer for 5 feet 6 inches is 66 multiplied by 2.54 which equals 167.64 cm.
US tape measures display fractions of an inch as 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, and 1/16. These fractional marks must be converted to decimal inches before converting to centimeters. One half inch is 0.5 inches. One quarter inch is 0.25 inches. One eighth inch is 0.125 inches. Three quarters of an inch is 0.75 inches. Always convert the fraction to a decimal first, then multiply the total decimal inch value by 2.54.
Television and monitor sizes in inches always refer to the diagonal measurement of the screen, not the width or height. A 55-inch TV has a diagonal of 55 inches which equals 139.7 centimeters. The actual width of the screen is approximately 48 inches and the height is approximately 27 inches depending on the aspect ratio. When matching an inch screen size to a centimeter specification, confirm that both measurements are diagonal before comparing.
Quick Reference Values — Height
| Height (ff and in) | Centimeters (cm) |
|
5 ft 0 in |
152.4 cm |
|
5 ft 2 in |
157.5 cm |
|
5 ft 4 in |
162.6 cm |
|
5 ft 5 in |
165.1 cm |
|
5 ft 6 in |
167.6 cm |
|
5 ft 7 in |
170.2 cm |
|
5 ft 8 in |
172.7 cm |
|
5 ft 9 in |
175.3 cm |
|
5 ft 10 in |
177.8 cm |
|
6 ft 0 in |
182.9 cm |