The cubic meter
The cubic meter equals exactly 1,000 liters. It is the SI-derived unit of volume, used for bulk shipping (freight 'cbm' pricing), concrete and soil quantities, and household water and gas billing outside the US.
Cubic meters to US gallons Converter
1 m³ = 264.172 gal (cubic meter → US gallon)
1 m³ = 264.172 gal
1 cubic meter equals 264.172 US gallons. To convert cubic meters to US gallons, multiply the cubic meter value by 264.172. For quick reference: 1 m³ = 264.172 gal, 5 m³ = 1320.86 gal, 10 m³ = 2641.72 gal, 100 m³ = 26417.2 gal.
Formula
US gallons = Cubic meters × 264.172Quick
How to convert cubic meters to US gallons
Take your value
Start with your value in cubic meters.
Multiply by 264.172
Multiply the cubic meter value by 264.172. This is the exact conversion factor from cubic meters to US gallons.
Read the result
The product is your value in US gallons. For example, 5 m³ × 264.172 = 1320.86 gal.
Conversion formula
The exact factor from cubic meters to US gallons is 264.172.
US gallons = Cubic meters × 264.172
Cubic meters to US gallons conversion table
Fifty common reference values, hand-picked for skim utility. Use the calculator above for any value not listed.
| Cubic meters (m³) | US gallons (gal) |
|---|---|
| 0.1 m³ | 26.417 gal |
| 0.25 m³ | 66.043 gal |
| 0.5 m³ | 132.09 gal |
| 1 m³ | 264.17 gal |
| 1.5 m³ | 396.26 gal |
| 2 m³ | 528.34 gal |
| 2.5 m³ | 660.43 gal |
| 3 m³ | 792.52 gal |
| 4 m³ | 1056.7 gal |
| 5 m³ | 1320.9 gal |
| 6 m³ | 1585 gal |
| 7 m³ | 1849.2 gal |
| 8 m³ | 2113.4 gal |
| 9 m³ | 2377.5 gal |
| 10 m³ | 2641.7 gal |
| 12 m³ | 3170.1 gal |
| 15 m³ | 3962.6 gal |
| 20 m³ | 5283.4 gal |
| 25 m³ | 6604.3 gal |
| 30 m³ | 7925.2 gal |
| 40 m³ | 10567 gal |
| 50 m³ | 13209 gal |
| 60 m³ | 15850 gal |
| 75 m³ | 19813 gal |
| 100 m³ | 26417 gal |
| 125 m³ | 33022 gal |
| 150 m³ | 39626 gal |
| 200 m³ | 52834 gal |
| 250 m³ | 66043 gal |
| 300 m³ | 79252 gal |
| 400 m³ | 105669 gal |
| 500 m³ | 132086 gal |
| 600 m³ | 158503 gal |
| 750 m³ | 198129 gal |
| 1000 m³ | 264172 gal |
| 1500 m³ | 396258 gal |
| 2000 m³ | 528344 gal |
| 2500 m³ | 660430 gal |
| 3000 m³ | 792516 gal |
| 4000 m³ | 1056688 gal |
| 5000 m³ | 1320860 gal |
| 7500 m³ | 1981290 gal |
| 10000 m³ | 2641721 gal |
| 15000 m³ | 3962581 gal |
| 20000 m³ | 5283441 gal |
| 25000 m³ | 6604301 gal |
| 30000 m³ | 7925162 gal |
| 40000 m³ | 10566882 gal |
| 50000 m³ | 13208603 gal |
| 100000 m³ | 26417205 gal |
Real-world reference
A standard cargo shipping container holds about 33–76 m³. A concrete truck delivers around 6–8 m³ per load. In US gallons, that gives you: 1 m³ = 264.172 gal, 10 m³ = 2641.72 gal, 100 m³ = 26417.2 gal.
Frequently asked questions
- How many US gallons are in 1 cubic meter?
- 1 cubic meter equals 264.172 US gallons.
- How do I convert cubic meters to US gallons?
- Multiply the cubic meter value by 264.172. So x m³ × 264.172 = the equivalent in gal.
- What is 5 cubic meters in US gallons?
- 5 cubic meters equals 1320.86 US gallons.
- What is 10 cubic meters in US gallons?
- 10 cubic meters equals 2641.72 US gallons.
- What is 100 cubic meters in US gallons?
- 100 cubic meters equals 26417.2 US gallons.
- How do I convert back from US gallons to cubic meters?
- Multiply the US gallon value by 0.00378541. For example, 1 gal = 0.00378541 m³.
- Is the cubic meter bigger than the US gallon?
- Yes. 1 cubic meter is larger than 1 US gallon — specifically 264.172 times larger.
- Are these conversion factors exact?
- The factor is derived directly from the SI definitions of cubic meter and US gallon; the displayed value is rounded for readability, and the browser computes using IEEE 754 double-precision arithmetic.
About the cubic meter and the US gallon
The US gallon
The US liquid gallon equals exactly 3.785411784 liters, defined as 231 cubic inches. It is the standard fuel and milk unit in the United States. The US gallon is about 16.7% smaller than the UK (imperial) gallon (4.54609 L), so quoting fuel economy as 'mpg' without specifying the gallon can mislead by a wide margin.