Free Calculators for European Users
Continental Europe is fully metricated. Distances are in kilometres, weights are in kilograms, temperatures are in Celsius and fuel is sold by the litre. However, European users regularly encounter imperial units when consuming content from the United States or the United Kingdom, when buying US-made products or when working with international clients.
This guide covers the conversions most relevant for European users across different countries and contexts. All tools are free at CalConvs.com. Browse all converters at the Unit Converters hub.
Dealing With American Content
American media, recipes, fitness content, product listings and scientific publications use imperial units that Europeans need to convert. These are the most common situations.
| Situation | Tool to Use |
|---|---|
| American recipe temperatures (Fahrenheit) | Temperature Converter for Celsius equivalent |
| American recipe volumes (cups, fluid ounces) | Volume Converter for millilitres and litres |
| American body weight in pounds | Weight Converter for kilograms |
| American height in feet and inches | Length Converter for centimetres and metres |
| American property size in square feet | Area Converter for square metres |
| American fuel economy in MPG | Fuel Consumption Converter for L per 100km |
| American tyre pressure in PSI | Pressure Converter for bar or kPa |
European Driving: Speed Limits Across Countries
Speed limits vary across European countries even though all use km/h. Knowing the local standard helps when driving across borders.
| Country | Urban Limit | Motorway Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | 50 km/h | Advisory 130 km/h; no general limit on Autobahn |
| France | 50 km/h | 130 km/h (110 in rain) |
| Italy | 50 km/h | 130 km/h |
| Spain | 50 km/h | 120 km/h |
| Netherlands | 50 km/h | 100 km/h |
| Poland | 50 km/h | 140 km/h |
| UK | 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 70 mph (112.7 km/h) |
Use the Speed Converter when driving from a metric country into the UK, or to compare speed limits in km/h and mph.
European Property and Real Estate
Property across Europe is listed in square metres. The key conversion need is when comparing with UK listings (square feet) or dealing with land in acres or hectares.
| Square Metres | Square Feet | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 50 m² | 538 sq ft | Typical small city flat in France or Germany |
| 80 m² | 861 sq ft | Average European apartment |
| 100 m² | 1,076 sq ft | Spacious apartment or small house |
| 200 m² | 2,153 sq ft | Large family home |
| 1 hectare | , | 10,000 m² or 2.47 acres |
Use the Area Converter for any property area conversion.
European Cooking: Converting US Recipes
European recipes use grams and millilitres. US recipes use cups and ounces. When following American food content, these conversions come up constantly in the kitchen.
| US Measurement | Metric Equivalent |
|---|---|
| 1 US cup | 236.6 ml (approximately 240 ml for everyday use) |
| 1 tablespoon (US) | 14.8 ml |
| 1 oz weight | 28.35 g |
| 8 oz (half pound) | 226.8 g |
| 1 pound (16 oz) | 453.6 g |
| 350 F oven | 177 C (most common US baking temperature) |
| 400 F oven | 204 C (hot oven for roasting) |
European Health Tools
EU health metrics are fully metric. Weight in kilograms, height in metres, temperature in Celsius. All CalConvs health tools work natively in these units for European users.
- BMI Calculator: uses WHO classifications which are standard across all European health systems
- Calorie Calculator: EU nutrition labelling uses kilocalories (kcal), the same unit the calculator uses
- BMR Calculator: resting calorie needs in metric units
- TDEE Calculator: total daily energy expenditure for fitness and weight management
Tyre Pressure: Bar and kPa in Europe
European vehicles and garages use bar for tyre pressure. Some modern cars and digital gauges also show kPa. The US uses PSI.
| Bar (European) | kPa | PSI (US) |
|---|---|---|
| 1.8 bar | 180 kPa | 26.1 PSI |
| 2.0 bar | 200 kPa | 29.0 PSI |
| 2.2 bar | 220 kPa | 31.9 PSI |
| 2.4 bar | 240 kPa | 34.8 PSI |
| 2.5 bar | 250 kPa | 36.3 PSI |
| 2.7 bar | 270 kPa | 39.2 PSI |
Use the Pressure Converter for PSI, bar and kPa tyre pressure conversions.
Related Tools for European Users
- Temperature Converter: Celsius to Fahrenheit for US content
- Volume Converter: ml, litres, US cups and fluid ounces
- Weight Converter: kg, grams, pounds and ounces
- Pressure Converter: bar, kPa and PSI
- Fuel Consumption Converter: L per 100km and MPG
- All Unit Converters: browse all converters on CalConvs
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I convert a US recipe temperature to Celsius for a European oven?
Use the formula: Celsius = (Fahrenheit − 32) ÷ 1.8. The most common US baking temperature of 350 F equals 177 C, and 400 F equals 204 C. Fan ovens in Europe typically run about 20 C hotter than conventional ovens for equivalent results, so reduce the temperature by 20 C when using a fan oven setting. Use the Temperature Converter for any conversion.
What is 1 cup in grams for a European baker?
A cup is a volume measurement, not a weight, so the gram equivalent depends on what you are measuring. One US cup of water is about 237 g. One cup of flour is about 120 to 130 g. One cup of sugar is about 200 g. One cup of butter is about 227 g. European bakers generally prefer weight measurements as they are more precise for baking.
What tyre pressure should I inflate to if my car manual says bar?
Most European cars recommend between 2.0 and 2.5 bar for standard tyres. Check your car door sill sticker or owner's manual for the specific recommendation for your vehicle and load. If your gauge reads in PSI, 2.2 bar = 31.9 PSI and 2.5 bar = 36.3 PSI. Use the Pressure Converter for any exact conversion.
How do I compare my BMI if I live in Europe?
The BMI scale is the same worldwide. The WHO standard classifications, underweight below 18.5, normal weight 18.5 to 24.9, overweight 25 to 29.9 and obese 30 and above, are used by healthcare systems across all European countries. Enter your weight in kilograms and height in metres (or centimetres) directly into the BMI Calculator with no unit conversion needed.