500 steps in miles and km, by height
Your step length is roughly 41% of your height, so taller walkers cover more ground with the same number of steps.
| Height | Miles | Km |
|---|---|---|
| 5'0" (152 cm) | 0.2 | 0.3 |
| 5'3" (160 cm) | 0.2 | 0.3 |
| 5'6" (168 cm) | 0.2 | 0.3 |
| 5'9" (175 cm) | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| 6'0" (183 cm) | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| 6'3" (191 cm) | 0.2 | 0.4 |
How long does it take to walk 500 steps?
At a moderate 100 steps a minute, the pace researchers use as the line for moderate-intensity walking, 500 steps takes about 5 min.
| Pace | Steps a minute | Speed | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy stroll | 80 | 2.1 mph · 3.4 km/h | 6 min |
| Moderate walk | 100 | 2.7 mph · 4.3 km/h | 5 min |
| Brisk walk | 120 | 3.2 mph · 5.1 km/h | 4 min |
How many calories does 500 steps burn?
Calories depend mostly on your weight. These estimates use 3.5 METs for moderate walking on the flat, from the Compendium of Physical Activities. Hills, a heavier bag or a faster pace all add more.
| Body weight | Calories |
|---|---|
| 55 kg (121 lb) | about 15 |
| 65 kg (143 lb) | about 20 |
| 75 kg (165 lb) | about 20 |
| 85 kg (187 lb) | about 25 |
| 95 kg (209 lb) | about 30 |
| 110 kg (243 lb) | about 30 |
Is 500 steps a day a lot?
500 steps is a light day: researchers use 5,000 steps as the line for a sedentary day (Tudor-Locke & Bassett, 2004). It still counts. A 2025 review of 57 studies found that even 4,000 steps a day was linked to better health than 2,000 (Ding et al., Lancet Public Health).
What 500 steps looks like
- About 0.9 laps of a 400-metre running track.
- Roughly 5 min of walking, which you can split into two or three shorter walks.
- In VirtuPet, 5 Paw Coins and a pet at 5% health (sick) on the default 10,000-step goal.
Sources: Tudor-Locke & Bassett, Sports Medicine 2004; Paluch et al., Lancet Public Health 2022; Ding et al., Lancet Public Health 2025; Compendium of Physical Activities. Estimates are for healthy adults on level ground.
