How many kilocalories are in 1 calorie?

1 cal equals 0.001 kcal. This is an exact conversion factor defined by NIST.

How do I convert calories to kilocalories?

Multiply the value in cal by the conversion factor. For example, 10 cal = 0.01 kcal. Use our calculator above for instant results.

Is the calories to kilocalories conversion exact?

Yes, this conversion is mathematically exact based on the international definition of these units (NIST SP 811).

Can I convert calories to kilocalories offline?

Yes! OmniConvert runs entirely in your browser — no internet connection needed after the page loads. Your data never leaves your device, ensuring complete privacy.

What is the difference between calories and kilocalories?

Calories (cal) and Kilocalories (kcal) are both units of energy but belong to different measurement systems. 1 cal = 0.001 kcal. Use the converter above to switch between them instantly.

Calories to Kilocalories (cal → kcal) — Free Online Converter

cal → kcal Reference Table

cal	kcal
0.001 cal	0.000001 kcal
0.002 cal	0.000002 kcal
0.003 cal	0.000003 kcal
0.004 cal	0.000004 kcal
0.005 cal	0.000005 kcal
0.006 cal	0.000006 kcal
0.007 cal	0.000007 kcal
0.008 cal	0.000008 kcal
0.009 cal	0.000009 kcal
0.01 cal	0.00001 kcal
0.02 cal	0.00002 kcal
0.03 cal	0.00003 kcal
0.04 cal	0.00004 kcal
0.05 cal	0.00005 kcal
0.06 cal	0.00006 kcal
0.07 cal	0.00007 kcal
0.08 cal	0.00008 kcal
0.09 cal	0.00009 kcal
0.1 cal	0.0001 kcal
0.2 cal	0.0002 kcal
0.3 cal	0.0003 kcal
0.4 cal	0.0004 kcal
0.5 cal	0.0005 kcal
0.6 cal	0.0006 kcal
0.7 cal	0.0007 kcal
0.8 cal	0.0008 kcal
0.9 cal	0.0009 kcal
1 cal	0.001 kcal
1.5 cal	0.0015 kcal
2 cal	0.002 kcal
2.5 cal	0.0025 kcal
3 cal	0.003 kcal
3.5 cal	0.0035 kcal
4 cal	0.004 kcal
4.5 cal	0.0045 kcal
5 cal	0.005 kcal
5.5 cal	0.0055 kcal
6 cal	0.006 kcal
6.5 cal	0.0065 kcal
7 cal	0.007 kcal
7.5 cal	0.0075 kcal
8 cal	0.008 kcal
8.5 cal	0.0085 kcal
9 cal	0.009 kcal
9.5 cal	0.0095 kcal
10 cal	0.01 kcal
11 cal	0.011 kcal
12 cal	0.012 kcal
13 cal	0.013 kcal
14 cal	0.014 kcal
15 cal	0.015 kcal
16 cal	0.016 kcal
17 cal	0.017 kcal
18 cal	0.018 kcal
19 cal	0.019 kcal
20 cal	0.02 kcal
25 cal	0.025 kcal
30 cal	0.03 kcal
35 cal	0.035 kcal
40 cal	0.04 kcal
45 cal	0.045 kcal
50 cal	0.05 kcal
55 cal	0.055 kcal
60 cal	0.06 kcal
65 cal	0.065 kcal
70 cal	0.07 kcal
75 cal	0.075 kcal
80 cal	0.08 kcal
85 cal	0.085 kcal
90 cal	0.09 kcal
95 cal	0.095 kcal
100 cal	0.1 kcal
120 cal	0.12 kcal
125 cal	0.125 kcal
130 cal	0.13 kcal
140 cal	0.14 kcal
150 cal	0.15 kcal
160 cal	0.16 kcal
175 cal	0.175 kcal
180 cal	0.18 kcal
200 cal	0.2 kcal
225 cal	0.225 kcal
250 cal	0.25 kcal
275 cal	0.275 kcal
300 cal	0.3 kcal
350 cal	0.35 kcal
400 cal	0.4 kcal
450 cal	0.45 kcal
500 cal	0.5 kcal
600 cal	0.6 kcal
700 cal	0.7 kcal
750 cal	0.75 kcal
800 cal	0.8 kcal
900 cal	0.9 kcal
1000 cal	1 kcal
1200 cal	1.2 kcal
1250 cal	1.25 kcal
1500 cal	1.5 kcal
1750 cal	1.75 kcal
2000 cal	2 kcal
2500 cal	2.5 kcal
3000 cal	3 kcal
4000 cal	4 kcal
4500 cal	4.5 kcal
5000 cal	5 kcal
6000 cal	6 kcal
7000 cal	7 kcal
7500 cal	7.5 kcal
8000 cal	8 kcal
9000 cal	9 kcal
10000 cal	10 kcal
15000 cal	15 kcal
20000 cal	20 kcal
25000 cal	25 kcal
50000 cal	50 kcal
75000 cal	75 kcal
100000 cal	100 kcal

Values based on NIST SP 811 conversion factors

Why Convert Calories to Kilocalories?

Converting between calories (cal) and kilocalories (kcal) is one of the most common energy conversions. Whether for engineering, cooking, travel, or science, knowing how to quickly convert cal to kcal saves time and prevents errors.

Energy conversions from cal to kcal are crucial for dietitians, physicists, and engineers. In nutrition, understanding the link between calories and joules helps individuals manage their diet and energy intake effectively. In the power sector, converting between kilowatt-hours and British Thermal Units (BTU) is necessary for sizing heating and cooling systems for homes and offices. Physicists rely on precise energy unit conversions to calculate work, heat, and thermodynamic processes. Whether tracking fitness goals or analyzing home energy bills, accurate conversion empowers users to make better health and financial decisions.

How to Convert Calories to Kilocalories

To convert calories to kilocalories, use the following formula:

kcal = cal × 0.001

Example: 1 cal = 0.001 kcal

For example, 5 cal = 0.005 kcal, 10 cal = 0.01 kcal, and 100 cal = 0.1 kcal. For larger values, 1000 cal = 1 kcal. Conversely, 1 kcal = 1000 cal. Our calculator above performs this conversion instantly with full precision — no rounding errors.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Calorie confusion: Food 'Calories' are actually kilocalories (kcal).
Joule scale: 1 kWh is 3.6 million Joules (orders of magnitude difference).
Power vs Energy: mixing up Watts (power) and Watt-hours (energy).

Pro Tips

Food labels: Learn to read kcal; average adult needs ~2000 kcal/day.
Battery capacity: Wh = V * Ah. Useful for comparing different voltage batteries.
Efficiency: Energy cannot be created/destroyed, only converted (with some loss as heat).

What is a Calorie?

The calorie (cal) is a pre-SI unit of energy. Historically defined as the heat needed to raise 1 gram of water by 1°C. Food calories are actually kilocalories (kcal).

Calories (specifically kilocalories) are universally used in nutrition to measure the energy content of food and the energy expenditure of physical activity.

What is a Kilocalorie?

A unit of energy equal to 1,000 calories ("Calorie").

Widely used for measuring food energy content.

Calories → Kilocalories

Calories to Kilocalories Formula