Cubic Meter to Ton Converter
Convert cubic meters to metric tons for 16 materials including concrete, sand, gravel, and soil. Includes density reference, weight comparison bars, and US/imperial ton outputs.
Cubic Meter Converter
Convert cubic meters to liters, cubic feet, gallons, cubic yards, barrels, and more. Includes household object comparisons, oil barrel conversion, and reference table.
Quick Values (m³)
Cubic Meters (m³)⧉
1.00
SI unit of volume
Liters (L)⧉
1,000.00
1 m³ = 1,000 L
Cubic Feet (ft³)⧉
35.31
1 m³ = 35.31 ft³
Cubic Yards (yd³)⧉
1.31
1 m³ = 1.308 yd³
US Gallons⧉
264.17
1 m³ = 264.17 gal
Imperial Gallons⧉
219.97
1 m³ = 219.97 imp gal
Oil Barrels (bbl)⧉
6.29
1 bbl = 0.159 m³
US Cups⧉
4,226.76
1 m³ = 4,226.75 cups
Volume Scale
Water bottle (500 mL)
2000×
Carry-on luggage
25×
Bathtub
6.67×
Washing machine drum
12.5×
Standard refrigerator
1.79×
Hot tub (4-person)
0.67×
Shipping container (20 ft)
0.03×
Swimming pool (avg)
0×
Planning notes, formulas, and examples
About the Cubic Meter Converter
The cubic meter (m³) is the SI unit of volume, equal to 1,000 liters, 35.31 cubic feet, or 264.17 US gallons. It appears everywhere in international trade (shipping container volumes), water management (reservoir capacity), construction (concrete ordering), and oil industry reporting.
This multi-direction converter accepts input in six volume units and outputs cubic meters, liters, cubic feet, cubic yards, US gallons, imperial gallons, oil barrels, and US cups. Preset buttons range from 0.001 m³ (1 liter) to 1,000 m³, covering both everyday containers and industrial volumes.
Whether you are converting water utility data from metric to imperial, sizing a storage tank, estimating concrete requirements in metric-imperial mixed units, or translating shipping container capacities, it gives every output you need alongside visual comparisons to household and industrial objects. It also supports faster cross-checks in logistics, procurement, and engineering planning documents used across global teams and regulatory documentation flows, giving teams a single reference for everyday calculations and reporting.
When This Page Helps
The cubic meter is the standard in metric countries and international trade, but many US professionals still think in cubic feet and gallons. This converter bridges both systems in one step and includes the oil barrel — a unit critical for energy industry conversions and reporting consistency across procurement, operations, and compliance work.
How to Use the Inputs
- Select input unit (m³, ft³, yd³, liters, gallons, or in³).
- Enter the volume or click a preset.
- Choose decimal precision.
- Read output cards for all volume units including barrels and cups.
- Use the visual scale to compare against real-world objects.
- Expand the reference table for detailed comparisons.
Formula used
1 m³ = 1,000 L = 35.3147 ft³ = 1.30795 yd³
1 m³ = 264.172 US gal = 219.969 imp gal
1 m³ = 6.28981 oil barrels (bbl)Example Calculation
Result: 88.29 ft³ / 660.4 gal
2.5 m³ = 2,500 liters = 88.29 ft³ = 660.4 US gallons = 3.27 yd³. About the volume of a medium hot tub.
Tips & Best Practices
- 1 m³ = 1,000 liters exactly. This is the easiest conversion to remember.
- A standard shipping container (20 ft) holds about 33.2 m³ of internal volume.
- Natural gas is often measured in cubic meters internationally (vs. cubic feet in the US).
- For construction: 1 m³ of ready-mix concrete weighs about 2,400 kg (5,291 lb).
- The oil industry barrel (bbl) = 159 liters = 0.159 m³ = 42 US gallons.
- Rainfall of 1 mm over 1 m² = 0.001 m³ = 1 liter of water.
The Cubic Meter in International Trade
Shipping costs are often calculated per cubic meter (CBM — cubic meter). A 20-foot container has about 33.2 CBM of usable space, while a 40-foot container has about 67.7 CBM. Freight forwarders charge by actual weight or volumetric weight (CBM × a factor), whichever is greater.
Cubic Meters in Water Management
Water utilities worldwide report consumption in cubic meters (or kiloliters). 1 m³ = 1 kL = 1,000 liters. Average household consumption varies dramatically: about 120 m³/year in Germany, 200 m³/year in the US, and 50 m³/year in sub-Saharan Africa.
Converting Between Metric and US Systems
The US still widely uses cubic feet, gallons, and cubic yards for volume. Key bridging values: 1 m³ = 35.31 ft³ = 1.31 yd³ = 264.2 gal. For concrete and earthwork, knowing that 1 cubic yard = 0.765 m³ is essential for converting between US construction specs and international standards.
Sources & Methodology
Last updated:
Frequently Asked Questions
Exactly 1,000 liters. This is by definition since 1 liter = 1 dm³ = 0.001 m³.
35.3147 cubic feet. This is the standard metric-to-US volume bridge used in engineering and construction.
264.172 US gallons or 219.969 imperial gallons. The difference exists because US and imperial gallons are defined differently.
Exactly 1,000 kg (1 metric ton) at 4°C. At room temperature, about 998 kg.
6.29 barrels (1 barrel = 42 US gallons = 158.987 liters).
The SI symbol is m³. In some contexts you may see "cbm" (cubic meter) in shipping.
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