Meters to Kilometers Calculator

Meters and kilometers are both units of length/distance in the metric system, so converting between them is simple: you just move the decimal point. One kilometer equals one thousand meters. This calculator allows you to convert distances in meters into miles or vice versa, and also shows feet, yards, centimeters, and millimeters so that you can see how long a distance is in any of these units.

This is how you convert meters to kilometers:

Since a thousand meters is the same as 1,000, you divide meters by 1,000 to convert it into kilometers. Because the metric system is based on powers of ten, this division moves the decimal point three places to the left.

For example, dividing 350 meters by 1,000 gives you 0.35 kilometers. A 5,000-meter run is equivalent to 5 kilometers, and 20 meters is only 0.02 kilometers.

This is how you convert kilometers to meters:

Since a thousand meters make up one kilometer, you can convert kilometers into meters by multiplying by 1,000. This is the same as moving the decimal point three places to the right.

So, three kilometers is the same as 3,000 meters and half a kilometer is the same as 500 meters. Change the input unit on the calculator to km and read the result in m.

Display of kilometers and meters combined

Distances are usually expressed by stating the number of full kilometers followed by the remaining meters, e.g. "two kilometers and three hundred meters". Since a thousand meters is equivalent to one kilometer, when expressing distances in kilometers with decimal places, you keep the whole number part and multiply the decimal part by 1000 to convert it into meters.

1,500 meters is the same as 1.5 kilometers or one kilometer and five hundred meters. The calculator will show this breakdown in addition to the answer as a decimal.

Examples of conversions

Let's go through some examples of conversions end to end.

• To convert meters to kilometers, divide by 1,000. So, 100 divided by 1,000 is equal to 0.1 km.

• 750 meters is equal to .75 kilometers, so it's 0 kilometers and 750 meters.

• 2,400 meters is equal to 2.4 kilometers or 2 kilometers and 400 meters.

• In other words, 8 kilometers multiplied by 1,000 is equal to 8,000 meters.

Conversion table for meters to kilometers:

These are reference values for commonly used distances. By dividing any number of meters by 1,000 you will get the corresponding number of kilometers.

What is a meter?

The metre is the base unit of length in the International System of Units (the modern metric system). It is a unit tied to a physical constant rather than an artifact, being defined as the distance travelled by light in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458 seconds. When the concept of the metre was first proposed in 1793, it was set at one ten-millionth of the distance from the equator to the North Pole.

The meter is a unit of the International System of Units and is used worldwide to measure distance, height, breadth, and depth in science, technology, and everyday life. One meter is equal to 100 centimeters and is approximately 3.28084 feet or 39.37 inches.

What is a kilometer?

A kilometer is equal to 1000 meters. The prefix "kilo-" in the metric system means thousand or ten raised to the third power. So a kilometer is one thousand times the base unit, the meter. Since the definition of the kilometer is based on the meter, it has the same reference for the speed of light.

In most parts of the world, kilometers are the official unit for measuring distances between landmarks. In a few countries including the United States and Britain, miles are still used on roads. One kilometer is approximately equal to 0.621371 miles.

Meters, kilometers, miles

Aside from the metric system, long distances are measured in miles. One kilometre is approximately 0.621371 miles and one mile is approximately 1.609344 kilometres. So as a rough guide you can remember that a kilometre is just under two thirds of a mile.

A 5K run is about 3.1 miles and a 10K is about 6.2 miles. The full marathon distance is 42,195 meters or 42.195 kilometers or 26.219 miles. If the route is long enough that it makes sense to give the mileage as well, then a calculator will show the corresponding number of miles next to the result in kilometers.

This is how this calculation tool works:

• Enter the distance in the input field.

• In the switch menu, select your desired unit. When converting meters to kilometers, the meter measure is used by default. If you want to use a different starting unit, choose between kilometers, miles, feet, yards, centimeters and millimeters.

• Read the result in kilometers at the top, with meters next to it.

• Check the number of miles, breakdown into kilometers and meters as well as feet and yards on the result map. At short distances also centimeters and millimeters are shown.

The conversion results are for general reference only. For engineering, legal or safety related work you should verify the values and required accuracy with trusted standards.