UnitConKilometers to Miles Converter
Convert kilometers to miles for road travel, race distances, and map reading. This is the most common distance conversion for drivers and travelers moving between metric and US customary contexts.
Formula
Multiply kilometers by 0.621371 to get miles. To reverse, divide miles by 0.621371 to get kilometers.
Quick reference
| Kilometer (km) | Mile (mi) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.6213712 |
| 3 | 1.864114 |
| 5 | 3.106856 |
| 10 | 6.213712 |
| 15 | 9.320568 |
| 21.0975 | 13.10938 |
| 42.195 | 26.21876 |
| 50 | 31.06856 |
| 100 | 62.13712 |
| 200 | 124.2742 |
About these units
Kilometer
The kilometer (1000 meters) came into use shortly after the meter was standardized in France in the 1790s. It became the standard unit for measuring road distances in most of the world following the widespread adoption of the metric system in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Mile
The mile traces back to the Roman mille passuum (thousand paces), roughly 1480 meters. The modern international mile of 1609.344 meters was standardized in 1959. It remains the primary road distance unit in the United States and United Kingdom.
Frequently asked questions
Five kilometers equals approximately 3.107 miles. This is a common running race distance.
A marathon is 42.195 km, which equals exactly 26.2188 miles — conventionally rounded to 26.2 miles.
No. One mile equals about 1.609 km, so a mile is longer. It takes about 1.609 kilometers to equal one mile.
Multiply by 0.6 for a quick estimate. For example, 10 km ≈ 6 miles. The more precise factor is 0.621371.