How to Convert Meters to Feet (and Back)

What Is a Meter?

A meter (m) is the SI base unit of length, defined since 1983 as the distance light travels in 1/299,792,458 of a second. It is the standard unit for height, room dimensions, athletic distances, and most engineering work outside the United States.

One meter is slightly longer than a yard (0.914 m) and about 3.28 feet.

What Is a Foot?

A foot (ft) is an imperial unit of length equal to exactly 0.3048 meters or 12 inches. It is the standard unit for height measurement in the United States and is still used for altitude in aviation worldwide.

Human height in the US is given in feet and inches. Aircraft cruise altitudes are measured in feet. Building floor heights are commonly expressed in feet in American construction.

The Conversion Formula

1 meter = 3.28084 feet (exact: 1/0.3048). To convert meters to feet, multiply by 3.28084.

1 foot = 0.3048 meters. To convert feet to meters, multiply by 0.3048.

Mental shortcut: multiply meters by 3.3 for a quick estimate. The result is about 0.6% high — close enough for everyday use.

For feet and inches: first convert feet to meters (multiply by 0.3048), then convert inches to meters (multiply by 0.0254), then add the two results.

Common Meter to Foot Conversions

Quick reference:

• 1 m = 3.281 ft
• 1.70 m = 5 ft 7 in (average adult height)
• 1.83 m = 6 ft 0 in
• 100 m = 328.08 ft (sprint distance)
• 1,000 m = 3,280.8 ft (1 kilometer)
• 1,609 m = 5,280 ft (1 mile)
• 8,849 m = 29,032 ft (height of Mount Everest)

Real-World Examples

Height: 1.75 m (average adult male worldwide) = 5 ft 9 in. NBA minimum height for centers is often around 2.0 m = 6 ft 7 in.

Athletics: The 100 m sprint is 328 feet. A standard Olympic swimming pool is 50 m = 164 ft long.

Aviation: Aircraft cruising altitudes are expressed in feet. A typical cruising altitude of 35,000 ft = 10,668 m.

Construction: A standard ceiling height of 8 ft = 2.44 m. A 10 ft ceiling = 3.05 m.

Famous Heights and Distances in Meters and Feet

Comparing famous structures in both units helps build intuitive feel for the conversion. The Eiffel Tower stands 330 m (1,083 ft) to its tip. The Empire State Building reaches 443 m (1,454 ft) including its antenna. The Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, stands 828 m (2,717 ft). Mount Everest's summit is at 8,849 m (29,032 ft) above sea level.

In aviation, altitude is measured in feet worldwide, even in countries that otherwise use the metric system. The international standard for cruising altitude separation is 1,000 ft (305 m) below 29,000 ft and 2,000 ft (610 m) above it. A typical commercial flight cruises between 31,000 and 38,000 ft (9,450–11,580 m).

Ocean depths are expressed in meters in science, but fathoms (1 fathom = 6 ft = 1.829 m) in traditional maritime contexts. The deepest point on Earth — Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench — reaches 10,935 m (35,876 ft or about 5,981 fathoms).

Why the United States Still Uses Feet

The US is the only major developed country that has not switched to the metric system for everyday use. Metrication was attempted in the 1970s when Congress passed the Metric Conversion Act of 1975, but the transition was made voluntary rather than mandatory, and public resistance meant it never took hold.

The consequences are practical: American students must learn both systems, and industries that operate internationally — science, medicine, manufacturing, aviation — use metric while everyday life uses imperial. Most Americans develop intuitive feel only for feet and inches, not meters.

For international travelers and anyone working across borders, knowing that 1 meter ≈ 3.28 feet and 1 foot ≈ 0.305 meters is enough to navigate height restrictions, trail markers, room dimensions, and athletic distances without needing a calculator every time.

Conclusion

1 meter = 3.28084 feet. 1 foot = 0.3048 meters. For quick mental math, multiply meters by 3.3. Use our free length converter to switch between meters, feet, and any other length unit instantly.