A meters to feet calculator converts a metric length to the US/UK customary foot using the exact relation 1 m = 3.2808399 ft (or equivalently, divide meters by 0.3048). Enter the meter value and the calculator returns the feet.
Useful for translating European and Asian construction specs to feet for US contractors, converting hiking elevations, sharing height measurements across borders, and reading any document that mixes the two systems.
Key takeaway
A meter is roughly 3.28 feet, about 3 ft 3⅜ in. The metric world measures heights in cm, room dimensions in m, and elevations in m (except in aviation, which globally uses feet). For mental work, "× 3.3" gets within 0.5% of the exact answer across any length.
How it's calculated
The conversion:
feet = meters × 3.2808399
Equivalently, feet = meters ÷ 0.3048. The 0.3048 factor is the exact international foot definition (12 in × 25.4 mm/in = 304.8 mm = 0.3048 m); inverting gives 3.28083989...ft per meter.
For sub-meter precision in feet, you can use the foot-and-inches form: take whole feet from meters × 3.2808, then convert the fractional foot to inches by multiplying by 12. Most online calculators (including this one) report decimal feet, convert mentally if you need feet-and-inches.
Source: Inverse of NIST foot, 1 m = 3.2808399 ft (exact)
Examples
2 meters, door height
- Length 2 m
2 m converts to 6.56 ft, about 6'7", a typical interior door height in metric construction. US doors are commonly 6'8" (≈ 2.03 m); the few inches of difference between systems are why imported European doors don't always swap into US frames cleanly.
3,776 meters, Mount Fuji's summit elevation
- Length 3776 m
3,776 m is 12,388 ft, the elevation of Mount Fuji's summit. Most international maps quote elevations in meters; US topographic maps still use feet. For comparison, Pikes Peak in Colorado is 14,115 ft (4,302 m), taller than Fuji and reachable by car.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert meters to feet?
Multiply by 3.2808 for the exact answer, or by 3.3 for a quick mental estimate within ~0.6% of the real value. So 4 m × 3.2808 = 13.12 ft (or 4 × 3.3 = 13.2 ft, close enough for most needs). For high-precision engineering work, use the full 3.28084 factor or the 1/0.3048 form.
How do I convert meters to feet AND inches?
Multiply by 3.2808 to get decimal feet. Take the whole-feet portion; multiply the decimal remainder by 12 to get inches. So 1.78 m × 3.2808 = 5.84 ft → 5 ft + (0.84 × 12) = 5 ft 10.08 in = 5'10". Useful for height conversions on US forms.
Why isn't 1 m exactly 3 ft 4 in?
Because the meter and the foot were defined independently. The meter was originally 1/10,000,000 of the distance from the equator to the North Pole; the foot was a customary length traced back to medieval body-measurements. 1 m = 39.3701 in = 3 ft 3.37 in. There's no clean relationship between them, converting requires a multiplication, not just unit substitution.
How tall is the Eiffel Tower in feet?
The Eiffel Tower is 300 m tall to the platform / 324 m including antennas, which converts to 984 ft / 1,063 ft. Most US references round to "1,000 feet" for the antenna-included height, which is close enough but technically a slight overstatement. The Empire State Building is taller at 381 m / 1,250 ft to the roof.