Property Area Units Explained: sqft, sqm, Acres, Marla & Kanal — Complete Conversion Guide
Whether you're comparing a UK listing in sqm, a US property in sqft, or a plot in Pakistan measured in marla and kanal — this guide converts everything and explains when each unit is used.
1 sqm = 10.764 sqft | 1 acre = 43,560 sqft | 1 marla = 272.25 sqft | 1 kanal = 20 marla = 5,445 sqft | 1 hectare = 10,000 sqm
For instant multi-unit conversion, use our area unit converter — enter any value and get all units at once.
The Complete Reference Table
| Unit | = sqft | = sqm | Primary Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 square foot (sqft) | 1 | 0.0929 | USA, Canada, some South Asia |
| 1 square metre (sqm) | 10.764 | 1 | UK, Europe, Australia, most of the world |
| 1 square yard (sqyd) | 9 | 0.836 | Some South Asian real estate listings |
| 1 marla | 272.25 | 25.29 | Pakistan, India (Punjab), Bangladesh |
| 1 kanal | 5,445 | 505.9 | Pakistan, India (Punjab) |
| 1 acre | 43,560 | 4,047 | USA, UK, South Asia (land plots) |
| 1 hectare | 107,639 | 10,000 | Europe, Australia (land/agriculture) |
| 1 square kilometre | 10,763,910 | 1,000,000 | Very large land areas |
Square Feet vs Square Metres: Which Countries Use Which?
Countries using sqft
- United States
- Canada (residential property)
- Pakistan (alongside marla/kanal)
- India (varies by state)
- Bangladesh
Countries using sqm
- United Kingdom (officially)
- All EU countries
- Australia & New Zealand
- UAE and Gulf states
- China, Japan, South Korea
The UK is an interesting case — estate agents are required to show floor area in sqm (following the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations), but many buyers still think in sqft, especially for older properties. Online listings almost always show both.
Sqft to Sqm: The Formula and Examples
| Square Feet | Square Metres | Typical Property |
|---|---|---|
| 500 sqft | 46.5 sqm | Small studio apartment |
| 800 sqft | 74.3 sqm | 1-bedroom apartment |
| 1,200 sqft | 111.5 sqm | 2-bedroom apartment / small house |
| 1,800 sqft | 167.2 sqm | 3-bedroom family home |
| 2,500 sqft | 232.3 sqm | Large family home |
| 4,000 sqft | 371.6 sqm | Luxury home / large villa |
Marla and Kanal: The South Asian Property Units
Marla and kanal are traditional units of land measurement used primarily in Pakistan, the Indian state of Punjab, and parts of Bangladesh. They're deeply embedded in property listings and legal documents in those markets.
How Marla Is Defined
The standard definition used across Pakistan and most Indian real estate:
This is based on a British colonial land surveying standard (1 marla = one-twentieth of a kanal, which was defined as a strip one chain wide and one rod long). Note that some older Indian documents define a marla differently (225 sqft) — always confirm which standard is being used in a specific legal document.
Kanal Conversions
| Marla | Sqft | Sqm | Common Plot Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 marla | 1,361 sqft | 126.5 sqm | Entry-level residential plot |
| 7 marla | 1,906 sqft | 177.1 sqm | Popular mid-size plot in Pakistan |
| 10 marla | 2,722 sqft | 252.9 sqm | Half kanal — very common plot size |
| 1 kanal (20 marla) | 5,445 sqft | 505.9 sqm | Standard kanal plot |
| 2 kanal | 10,890 sqft | 1,011.7 sqm | Large residential / small commercial |
Acres and Hectares: For Larger Land Parcels
Acres are commonly used for agricultural land, large residential plots, and development sites in the US, UK, and South Asia. Hectares are the metric equivalent used in Europe, Australia, and by international land registries.
1 hectare = 10,000 sqm = 107,639 sqft = 2.471 acres
| Area | Acres | Hectares | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10,000 sqft | 0.23 acres | 0.09 ha | Large suburban lot |
| 1 kanal | 0.125 acres | 0.05 ha | Kanal plot (Pakistan) |
| 1 acre | 1 | 0.4047 ha | American football field (approx.) |
| 5 acres | 5 | 2.02 ha | Small farm / large estate lot |
| 50 acres | 50 | 20.2 ha | Small farm |
Why Area Units Matter for Development
When evaluating a development site, the unit used to measure floor area directly affects your cost estimates. Build cost per sqm and build cost per sqft look like very different numbers for the same project:
- A $200/sqft build cost is $2,153/sqm — both describe the same construction quality level
- A 150 sqm apartment is a 1,614 sqft apartment — the same unit, different-sounding listings
Before plugging numbers into a development feasibility, always confirm which unit your comparables are using and convert to a consistent basis. One source citing sqft and another citing sqm without converting will produce meaningless per-unit ratios.
Quick sanity check: If a property seems unusually large or small compared to its price, the first thing to check is whether the area is in sqft or sqm. A "500 sqm" apartment and a "500 sqft" apartment differ by a factor of 10.76 — a common source of confusion when comparing international listings.
Price Per Square Foot vs Price Per Square Metre
Property price is often expressed as a rate per area unit — the primary way to compare value across properties of different sizes.
| Price / sqft | Price / sqm equivalent | Market context |
|---|---|---|
| $100/sqft | $1,076/sqm | Affordable US markets |
| $250/sqft | $2,691/sqm | Mid-tier US metro |
| $500/sqft | $5,382/sqm | High-demand urban US / UK regional |
| $1,000/sqft | $10,764/sqm | Prime London, Manhattan, Sydney CBD |
| $2,500/sqft | $26,910/sqm | Ultra-prime (Monaco, Hong Kong peak) |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many square feet in a square metre?
1 square metre = 10.764 square feet. To convert sqm to sqft, multiply by 10.764. To convert sqft to sqm, divide by 10.764. A 100 sqm apartment is 1,076 sqft.
How many square feet in a marla?
1 marla = 272.25 square feet (30.25 square yards). This is the standard Pakistani definition used in property listings and legal documents across Pakistan and the Punjab region of India.
How many marla in a kanal?
1 kanal = 20 marla = 5,445 square feet = 506 square metres. The kanal is a traditional unit used predominantly in Pakistan and the Indian state of Punjab.
How many square feet in an acre?
1 acre = 43,560 square feet = 4,047 square metres = 0.4047 hectares. An acre is roughly the size of an American football field without the end zones.
How do I convert sqft to sqm quickly?
Divide by 10.764. A 1,500 sqft home is approximately 139 sqm. For the reverse, multiply sqm by 10.764. Or use our area converter calculator to get all units at once from a single input.
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