What this tool does
Property is quoted in whatever unit is local to the market, and comparing listings across regions means converting between them. This tool covers the international units plus Marla and Kanal, which are standard across Pakistan and northern India and are a frequent source of confusion because a Kanal is not always the same size.
How it works
A Marla is a unit of area that varies by region, most commonly 225 square feet in Pakistan and 272.25 square feet in parts of India. Because the definition is not universal, this converter states which Marla it is using and provides the alternative so you can check a listing against the right one.
One Kanal is conventionally sixteen Marlas, but the same regional variation applies, so a Kanal can be 3,600 or 4,356 square feet depending on the market. Where a listing does not state a unit, assume the local standard and verify before relying on it for a transaction.
Conversions use squared linear factors, so converting length by a factor and squaring gives area. One square foot is 0.0929 square metres, not 0.3048 — squaring the linear factor is the step that is easy to get wrong by hand.
It helps to separate the two ideas people conflate here. Converting between units is pure arithmetic and always exact to the precision shown. Converting between the regional land units is a judgement call, because a Marla or a Bigha is defined by local custom rather than by an international body, and two documents can both be correct while disagreeing. Do the arithmetic with this tool, but confirm which local definition applies before the number becomes part of a price, a registration or a boundary.
Worked example
Converting one Kanal (3,600 sq ft) to acres and square metres.
- 1 acre = 43,560 sq ft
- 3,600 / 43,560 = 0.0826 acres
- 3,600 sq ft × 0.092903 = 334.45 sq m
One Kanal is about 0.0826 acres or 334.45 square metres.
Accuracy and limitations
- Marla and Kanal are not standardised across regions. Confirm the local definition before using these figures in a transaction.
- This is a unit converter, not a survey. Plot boundaries and actual land area must be established by a licensed surveyor.
Frequently asked questions
- How many square feet is one Marla?
- It depends on the region. 225 sq ft is common in Pakistan, while 272.25 sq ft is used in parts of India. The converter labels which definition it is applying so you can match it against a specific listing.
- How many Marlas are in a Kanal?
- Sixteen is the standard relationship, so a Kanal is 3,600 sq ft under the 225 sq ft Marla and 4,356 sq ft under the 272.25 sq ft Marla. The convention holds even though the underlying Marla size differs.
- How do I convert square feet to square metres?
- Multiply by 0.092903. Do not convert 1 foot to 0.3048 metres and then square it as a shortcut unless you also square the input value, because the result differs depending on the order of operations.
- Can I use this to work out my plot size?
- Use it to compare units and check a listing's stated area. Determining the actual area of a plot requires a survey, and published figures are sometimes nominal rather than measured.
- How many square feet is one acre?
- Exactly 43,560 square feet, which is 66 feet by 660 feet, or exactly 4,046.8564224 square metres. It is also the number behind every property listing that quotes a price per acre, so converting a price per square foot to a price per acre is a matter of multiplying by 43,560.
- How do I convert an area when I only know the dimensions?
- Convert each dimension to the same unit first, then multiply. Ten metres by twenty metres is 200 square metres, and ten metres by twenty feet is 61.016 square metres, not 200 — the mixed case is where errors creep in. Converting the total area instead of the dimensions is the usual mistake.