Most of the world sells fuel, drinks and paint by the liter, while the United States uses gallons — and the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth countries still use a different, larger gallon in some contexts. This converter turns liters into US gallons and shows the imperial figure beside it, so you can tell at a glance which one a number refers to.
How to use the liters to gallons converter
- Enter a volume in Liters (L).
- Read the result in US gallons, with imperial (UK) gallons and US quarts below.
- The chart lists 0.5 L to 1,000 L with both kinds of gallon.
Liters to gallons formula
Both divisors are exact definitions. The US gallon is 231 cubic inches, which works out to exactly 3.785411784 L; the imperial gallon was redefined in 1985 as exactly 4.54609 L.
Worked example: filling a 50-liter fuel tank
Step 1. 50 ÷ 3.785411784 = 13.2086 US gallons.
Step 2. In imperial gallons: 50 ÷ 4.54609 = 10.9985 imp gal.
If fuel costs 1.80 (in any currency) per liter, the same fuel costs 1.80 × 3.785411784 = 6.81 per US gallon. Notice that prices are multiplied while volumes are divided.
Fuel economy: L/100 km to mpg
Metric countries measure fuel consumption as liters used per 100 km — lower is better. US and UK drivers use miles per gallon — higher is better. The two are reciprocals, so they convert with a division:
| L/100 km | US mpg | UK mpg |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 58.8 | 70.6 |
| 5 | 47.0 | 56.5 |
| 6 | 39.2 | 47.1 |
| 7 | 33.6 | 40.4 |
| 8 | 29.4 | 35.3 |
| 10 | 23.5 | 28.2 |
| 12 | 19.6 | 23.5 |
| 15 | 15.7 | 18.8 |
The same car can look 20% more efficient in a British review than in an American one simply because the imperial gallon is bigger. The gas mileage calculator works out trip fuel cost in either system.
Aquariums, drums and tanks
Aquariums sold in Europe are labeled in liters and in the US in gallons. A 200 L tank holds 52.8 US gallons — between the common 50- and 55-gallon sizes. A standard steel oil drum is 208 L, or 55 US gallons, and an oil barrel (the unit, not the container) is 42 US gallons, or 158.99 L. For cylindrical or rectangular tanks measured in inches or centimeters, the tank volume calculator gives capacity in both units.
Which gallon is meant?
- US gallon (3.785 L): fuel, milk, paint and water in the United States; also most US-made equipment.
- Imperial gallon (4.546 L): UK fuel-economy figures and older UK recipes and specifications; fuel itself is sold by the liter there.
If a source doesn’t say, consider where it comes from. For the reverse conversion, see gallons to liters.
Frequently asked questions
How many gallons are in a liter?
One liter is 0.264172 US gallons, or 0.219969 imperial (UK) gallons. A US gallon is exactly 3.785411784 liters.
How many gallons is 20 liters?
20 L is 5.2834 US gallons, or 4.3994 imperial gallons. A 20-liter jerrycan is a little over 5 US gallons.
How do I convert a fuel price per liter to per gallon?
Multiply the price per liter by 3.785411784. A price of 1.80 per liter is 1.80 × 3.785411784 = 6.81 per US gallon. Prices convert in the opposite direction to volumes.
How do I convert L/100 km to miles per gallon?
Divide 235.215 by the L/100 km figure for US mpg, or divide 282.481 by it for UK (imperial) mpg. A car using 7 L/100 km gets about 33.6 US mpg or 40.4 UK mpg.
Why are UK gallons bigger than US gallons?
They have different origins. The US gallon is the old English wine gallon of 231 cubic inches; the imperial gallon was defined in 1824 from the volume of 10 pounds of water and is now exactly 4.54609 L, about 20% larger.