Perch to square metres, square feet and acres: Sri Lanka land units explained
One perch is 25.29 square metres, or 272.25 square feet. Forty perches make a rood and 160 perches make an acre (4,046.86 m²), so a typical 20-perch south coast house plot is about 506 m². Sri Lankan deeds and survey plans state extents in acres, roods and perches, written A-R-P.
What is a perch in Sri Lanka?
A perch is a square measure inherited from British survey practice: a square one rod (16.5 feet, 5.03 m) on each side, so 272.25 sq ft or 25.29 m². Metric units are official in Sri Lanka, but the land market, deeds and adverts still use perches, roods and acres. Every listing on Perch & Acre gives the extent in perches with the square-metre figure alongside.
Perch conversion table
| Perches | Square metres | Square feet | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25.29 | 272 | 0.006 |
| 10 | 253 | 2,723 | 0.06 |
| 15 | 379 | 4,084 | 0.09 |
| 20 | 506 | 5,445 | 0.13 |
| 30 | 759 | 8,168 | 0.19 |
| 40 (1 rood) | 1,012 | 10,890 | 0.25 |
| 50 | 1,265 | 13,613 | 0.31 |
| 80 (half an acre) | 2,023 | 21,780 | 0.5 |
| 100 | 2,529 | 27,225 | 0.63 |
| 160 (1 acre) | 4,047 | 43,560 | 1 |
| 395.4 (1 hectare) | 10,000 | 107,639 | 2.47 |
How do I read an extent written in acres, roods and perches?
Survey plans and deeds write the extent as A-R-P. Convert each part to perches and add them: acres × 160, plus roods × 40, plus perches. So 1A-2R-15P is 160 + 80 + 15 = 255 perches, about 6,449 m². Perches are often given to two decimals (for example 23.45P), because the surveyor computes the area from measured boundaries.
How do I convert a price per perch?
- Per square metre: divide by 25.29. LKR 1,000,000 per perch is about LKR 39,541 per m².
- Per square foot: divide by 272.25. LKR 1,000,000 per perch is about LKR 3,673 per sq ft.
- Per acre: multiply by 160. LKR 1,000,000 per perch is LKR 160 million per acre.
For today's asking prices by town, see land price per perch on the south coast.
How much land do I need for a villa?
Work it out from the footprint. A single-storey house of 2,000 sq ft covers about 7.3 perches of ground (2,000 ÷ 272.25), before the pool, garden, parking and the building line. Around Ahangama, plots of 20 to 60 perches are the typical first purchase. Before you fix a size, check the local minimum: in areas covered by the Urban Development Authority's 2021 regulations, a newly subdivided lot must be at least 150 m² (about 6 perches), and 250 m² where there is no pipe-borne water. The villa building guide covers the approvals.
Frequently asked questions
How many square feet is 1 perch?
272.25 square feet. A perch is a square 16.5 feet on each side, so 16.5 × 16.5 = 272.25.
How many perches are in an acre?
160. An acre is 4 roods and a rood is 40 perches, so 4 × 40 = 160 perches, or 4,046.86 m².
How many perches are in a hectare?
About 395.4 perches, because a hectare is 10,000 m² and a perch is 25.29 m². That is 2.47 acres.
Is 10 perches enough to build a house?
Often, yes, for a compact house: 10 perches is about 253 m². Whether you can build depends on the local authority's minimum plot size, the building line and any reservation (road, stream, coast or paddy) on the plot. Check these before you buy, as set out in the 8 steps to buy land safely.
Why does the surveyed extent differ from the deed?
Older deeds often repeat an extent from a plan made decades ago. A fresh survey measures the land as it is today, and the difference can be several perches. Agree the price per perch and pay for the surveyed extent; see how to check a land deed.
Sources
- The case for metric land measurements in Sri Lanka: 1 perch = 25.29 m² (272.25 sq ft), 40 perches = 1 rood (1,011.71 m²), 4 roods = 1 acre (4,046.86 m²), Asela Atukorala, Thuppahi's Blog
- Urban Development Authority Planning and Development Regulations 2021, Gazette Extraordinary No. 2235/54 of 8 July 2021 (minimum lot 150 m², regulation 14; 250 m² without pipe-borne water, regulation 74)
- Conversions: 1 rod = 16.5 ft = 5.0292 m; figures in the table are rounded.
General information, not legal advice. Laws and rates change; confirm every point with your own Sri Lankan lawyer before you pay a deposit.
