There’s a good chance you’ve needed to convert 5’7″ to cm at some point—whether filling out a form, comparing heights with international friends, or just settling a debate with someone who uses metric. The answer isn’t just one number; it’s a conversation about how different systems round, and what that height actually means in different parts of the world. Here’s everything you need, from the exact conversion to how 170.18 cm stacks up against global averages.

4 related posts

5’7″ in cm: 170.18 cm ·
5’8″ in cm: 172.72 cm ·
5’6″ in cm: 167.64 cm ·
5’9″ in cm: 175.26 cm ·
5’10” in cm: 177.80 cm

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Regional tallness thresholds vary by country and culture
  • Perception of 5’7″ shifts depending on gender norms
3Timeline signal
  • 2026 global height rankings compiled by World Population Review
  • Medical charts standardized since at least 2023
4What’s next
  • Step-by-step manual conversion if calculators aren’t handy
  • Context for whether 5’7″ counts as tall in your region

Six height measurements illustrate one consistent pattern: each inch represents 2.54 centimeters, and the values climb predictably from 5’6″ through 5’10”.

Height Centimeters Source
5’6″ 167.64 cm SplashLearn
5’7″ 170.18 cm SplashLearn
5’8″ 172.72 cm SplashLearn
5’9″ 175.26 cm The Calculator Site
5’10” 177.80 cm Inch Calculator

How many centimeters is 5’7″?

Manual conversion steps

The math behind the conversion is straightforward. Here’s how you calculate 5’7″ to cm without any tools:

  • Multiply the feet value by 30.48 cm (the exact length of one foot): 5 × 30.48 = 152.40 cm
  • Multiply the inches value by 2.54 cm (the exact length of one inch): 7 × 2.54 = 17.78 cm
  • Add the two results together: 152.40 + 17.78 = 170.18 cm

This formula—1 foot = 30.48 cm and 1 inch = 2.54 cm—is the international standard used by the UHSussex NHS and Perinatal.org.uk clinical height tables. You can also express 5’7″ as 1.7018 meters, which rounds to approximately 1.70 m (The Calculator Site).

Online calculator use

If you don’t want to do the arithmetic yourself, digital tools handle the conversion instantly. The SplashLearn height conversion chart, Inch Calculator, and CalculateMe.com all confirm the same result: 5’7″ = 170.18 cm. Medical and clinical height charts typically round to the nearest centimeter (170 cm), but the precise figure matters when accuracy counts.

The upshot

The formula (feet × 30.48) + (inches × 2.54) gives you the exact conversion every time. For 5’7″, that’s 170.18 cm—verified by five independent sources across conversion tools and medical reference charts.

Is 5’7″ considered tall?

Tallness by gender in US

Whether 5’7″ counts as tall depends heavily on gender. For American men, the average height sits around 175–176 cm (5’9″ to 5’10”), making 5’7″ about 5–6 cm below average—clearly shorter than typical male height in the United States. For American women, the average is roughly 162–164 cm (5’4″ to 5’5″), which puts 5’7″ well above the median—definitely tall for a woman in the US context.

The picture shifts further when you look at specific countries. In the Netherlands, the average woman measures 170.36 cm (World Population Review)—nearly identical to 5’7″. In the Netherlands and Iceland, a woman at 5’7″ is right at the national average, not tall at all. By contrast, in the United States, a 5’7″ woman would be noticeably above average.

Global height averages

Looking at male averages globally, 5’7″ (170.18 cm) sits at a fascinating crossroads. The average Mexican male measures 170.29 cm (World Population Review)—virtually identical to 5’7″. Palau males average 170.62 cm, also essentially 5’7″ (World Population Review). In these nations, a man at 5’7″ is precisely average.

Contrast this with European nations. Canadian males average 178.75 cm (5’10”) and Spanish males average 176.11 cm (5’9″) (World Population Review). A 5’7″ man in Canada or Spain would stand 6–8 cm below the national average. Meanwhile, in the Netherlands and Montenegro, where male averages hit 183–184 cm (6’0″), 5’7″ represents female stature rather than male height.

What to watch

The gap between tallest and shortest nations is stark: males in the Netherlands average 183.78 cm, while in some Southeast Asian, Central American, and Middle Eastern nations, male averages dip below 163 cm. That’s a 20+ cm spread, meaning “average” looks completely different depending on where you stand.

Is 175 cm 5’7″ or 5’8″?

Exact matches for nearby heights

175 cm converts to approximately 5’8.9″ (rounded up to 5’9″), not 5’7″ or 5’8″. The nearest exact conversions from verified sources are:

  • 5’8″ = 172.72 cm
  • 5’9″ = 175.26 cm
  • 175 cm falls between these two, closer to 5’8.9″

If you’re converting 175 cm, think of it as roughly 5’9″—about 5 cm taller than 5’7″ (170.18 cm) and 2.5 cm shorter than 5’9″. When forms ask for height in feet and inches, 175 cm typically rounds to 5’9″.

Conversion table excerpt

Here’s how 175 cm sits relative to the heights around 5’7″:

Height (cm) Height (feet & inches) Source
170.18 cm 5’7″ SplashLearn
175.00 cm 5’8.9″ (≈ 5’9″) Inch Calculator
175.26 cm 5’9″ The Calculator Site

The implication: if you need to match 175 cm to a feet-and-inches value, 5’9″ is your best choice. 5’7″ is nearly 5 cm short of 175 cm, while 5’9″ is only 0.26 cm over.

Is 170 cm 5’7″ or 5’8″?

Precise cm to feet/inches

170 cm converts to 5’6.9″, which rounds to 5’7″ when expressed in feet and inches. The math: 170 cm ÷ 2.54 = 66.93 inches. Divide 66.93 by 12 (inches per foot) = 5.58 feet. The decimal 0.58 × 12 = 6.96 inches, giving you 5’6.96″ (essentially 5’7″).

The Inch Calculator confirms that 5’7″ is slightly taller than the 170 cm benchmark, with 5’7″ equaling 170.18 cm. So while 170 cm is commonly approximated as 5’7″, the precise value is technically 5’6.96″—about 0.18 cm shy of true 5’7″.

Common confusions

Height rounding causes frequent mix-ups. Clinical and medical sources sometimes round to the nearest centimeter (170 cm = 5’7″ in everyday usage), but precise conversion tools retain the decimal. For casual contexts—describing height to friends, estimating clothing sizes, or general conversation—170 cm and 5’7″ are treated as equivalent. For medical records, sports measurements, or official documents, the 0.18 cm difference may matter.

The catch

170 cm is commonly called 5’7″, but technically it’s 5’6.96″. The rounding is acceptable for everyday use, but medical and technical contexts may require the precise 170.18 cm figure for 5’7″.

How many cm is a 5’7″ girl?

Gender-specific perceptions

The conversion itself doesn’t change based on gender: a 5’7″ girl is still 170.18 cm. However, how that height is perceived varies dramatically. For females worldwide, 5’7″ ranges from average to tall depending on the country. As noted earlier, in the Netherlands and Iceland, 170.36 cm and approximately 170 cm represent the average female height, meaning a 5’7″ girl would be right at the national median. In the United States, where average female height is around 162–164 cm, a 5’7″ woman is notably taller than average.

Female averages globally span from roughly 158 cm (5’2″) in some populations to 170+ cm in Northern European nations. The World Population Review data shows female averages clustered between 160–170 cm across most developed nations, with the Netherlands, Iceland, and Montenegro at the upper end. In these countries, a 5’7″ girl is unremarkable. In Southeast Asia, Latin America, or Sub-Saharan Africa, where female averages often fall below 162 cm, 5’7″ would be considered quite tall.

Related heights like 168 cm

For context, 168 cm converts to approximately 5’6.1″—about 2.2 cm shorter than 5’7″. A 168 cm woman (roughly 5’6″) falls just below the average female height in the Netherlands (170.36 cm) and slightly above average in many other countries. Here’s how 5’7″ and nearby heights compare:

Height Centimeters Female perception Source
5’6″ 167.64 cm Slightly below 5’7″ SplashLearn
5’7″ 170.18 cm At/average in Netherlands; tall elsewhere SplashLearn
5’8″ 172.72 cm Tall for women in most countries Inch Calculator

The pattern: each inch adds 2.54 cm, and the same absolute height (170.18 cm) means different things in different gender and geographic contexts.

Bottom line: 5’7″ equals exactly 170.18 cm. For men in Mexico and Palau, this height hits the national average; for men in North America and Northern Europe, it falls notably short. Women at 5’7″ match the average in the Netherlands and Iceland, yet stand out as tall in most other nations. Where you live—and whether you’re male or female—determines whether 170.18 cm feels average, short, or tall.

Related reading: 5’7″ in cm height chart · 5’7″ in cm height comparisons

Additional sources

youtube.com

Don't miss these

Frequently asked questions

How tall is a 168 cm person?

A person who is 168 cm tall measures approximately 5’6.1″ (5 feet 6.1 inches). This height is about 2.18 cm shorter than 5’7″ (170.18 cm). For women, 168 cm is near the global average; for men, it falls below the average in most Western nations.

Is 5’8″ tall for a girl?

At 172.72 cm, 5’8″ is considered tall for women in most countries. Only in Northern European nations like the Netherlands (female average 170.36 cm) would 5’8″ be notably above average but not exceptional. In the United States, a 5’8″ woman is above average (US female average ~162-164 cm).

What height is considered tall?

“Tall” varies by country and gender. For men globally, anything above 180 cm (5’11”) is generally considered tall, with 185+ cm (6’1″) being very tall in most nations. For women, 170+ cm (5’7″+) is considered tall in most countries, though it’s average in the Netherlands, Iceland, and Montenegro. The Netherlands holds the record: male average 183.78 cm, female average 170.36 cm.

Is 168 cm almost 5’7″?

Yes, 168 cm (5’6.1″) is close to 5’7″ (170.18 cm), but not quite there. The difference is 2.18 cm—about one inch’s worth of rounding gap. 168 cm is commonly rounded to 5’6″, while 5’7″ requires 170.18 cm.

How many cm is 5’6″?

5’6″ equals 167.64 cm. This is calculated as (5 × 30.48) + (6 × 2.54) = 152.40 + 15.24 = 167.64 cm.

How many cm is 5’9″?

5’9″ equals 175.26 cm. This is calculated as (5 × 30.48) + (9 × 2.54) = 152.40 + 22.86 = 175.26 cm. It falls between 5’8″ (172.72 cm) and 5’10” (177.80 cm).

How many cm is 5’10”?

5’10” equals 177.80 cm. This is calculated as (5 × 30.48) + (10 × 2.54) = 152.40 + 25.40 = 177.80 cm. This height is slightly below the Canadian male average (178.75 cm) and slightly above the Spanish male average (176.11 cm).

How many cm is 5’5″?

5’5″ equals 165.10 cm. This is calculated as (5 × 30.48) + (5 × 2.54) = 152.40 + 12.70 = 165.10 cm. This is close to the Canadian female average (164.73 cm) and slightly above the Spanish female average (162.03 cm).

What experts and data say

“Five feet seven inches (5’7″) is equal to 170.18 cm.”

— The Calculator Site (Conversion Authority)

“The Netherlands ranks as the country with the tallest average human height, with an average male height of 183.78 cm and average female height of 170.36 cm.”

— World Population Review (Global Height Data Aggregator)

“In parts of Southeast Asia, Guatemala, and Yemen, average male height can dip below 5 feet 4 inches (163 cm).”

— WPR Newsletter (Height Analyst, Short-Region Data)

“5’7″ is when you get considered short.”

— Anonymous commentator on YouTube: Every Country Average Height Explained (Cultural Observer)

For anyone comparing height data across systems, the key takeaway is straightforward: 5’7″ equals 170.18 cm, and that figure has completely different meanings depending on your gender and where you live. In Mexico or Palau, a man at 5’7″ is average; in the Netherlands, he’s roughly 13 cm shorter than the typical Dutch man. For women, 5’7″ is precisely average in the Netherlands and Iceland, yet noticeably tall in most other nations. The metric-imperial divide isn’t just about units—it’s about understanding the global spectrum of human height.