How this calculator works
Kilograms measure mass and gallons measure volume, so the link between them is density. Volume equals mass divided by density. Water at about 4 degrees Celsius has a density close to 1,000 kg per cubic metre, which is 1 kg per litre, so 1 kg of water is about 0.264 US gallons. Honey is denser, so the same kilogram fills a smaller volume, while gasoline is less dense and fills more. The presets are typical densities; the custom row accepts a measured value in kilograms per cubic metre, grams per millilitre or pounds per cubic foot.
Formula
kilograms = pounds x 0.45359237. cubic metres = kilograms / density in kg/m3. US gallons = cubic metres / 0.003785411784. Imperial gallons = cubic metres / 0.00454609. Litres = cubic metres x 1,000.
Worked example
1 kg of water is 0.264172 US gallons, 0.219969 imperial gallons, 1 L and 0.001 m3. 10 kg of water is 2.64172 US gallons. 1 kg of honey at 1,420 kg/m3 is 0.186037 US gallons and 0.704225 L. 1 lb of water is 0.119826 US gallons.
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Frequently asked questions
How many gallons is a kilogram of water?
About 0.264 US gallons or 0.220 imperial gallons at 4 degrees Celsius. A US gallon of water has a mass of about 3.785 kg, so dividing 1 kg by that gives 0.264.
Why does the substance selection change the gallons so much?
Density varies widely between liquids. A kilogram of honey occupies about 0.70 L while a kilogram of gasoline occupies about 1.34 L, so the same mass gives very different volumes.
Is this the same as gallons to pounds?
It is the inverse relationship. That page starts from a volume and finds the mass; this page starts from a mass and finds the volume. Both use the same density values.
Can I use this for a cooking recipe?
The water, milk and oil values are reasonable approximations for recipes, but flour and sugar are not liquids and their bulk densities change a lot with packing. Use a kitchen scale for dry ingredients where accuracy matters.