How much does that much cash weigh?
Cash is surprisingly heavy in small denominations and surprisingly light in large ones. A million dollars in $100 bills is about 10 kg.
Almost exactly $1 million in $100 bills
10 kg is heavier than 2 of the 7 references on this page.
Reference figures are measurements and are rounded; the unit conversion behind them is exact.
| Reference | Size | Yours ÷ theirs | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1 000 in $100 bills | 0.01 kg | 1,000× | |
| $1 000 in $1 bills | 1 kg | 10× | |
| $1 million in $100 bills | 10 kg | 1× | |
| airline suitcase | 23 kg | 0.435× | |
| $1 million in $20 bills | 50 kg | 0.2× | |
| average man (US) | 90.6 kg | 0.11× | |
| $1 million in quarters | 22,680 kg | 1/2,268 |
Worth knowing
- A US banknote weighs almost exactly 1 gram, whatever its denomination — so $1 million in singles weighs a tonne and in hundreds weighs 10 kg.
- A US quarter weighs 5.67 g, so $1 million in quarters is 22.7 tonnes: a fully loaded articulated lorry.
Frequently asked
How much does a million dollars weigh?
In $100 bills, 10 kg — one carry-on bag. In $20 bills, 50 kg. In $1 bills, a full tonne.
Why do all banknotes weigh the same?
Because they are the same size and paper. US notes are all 156 × 66 mm of cotton-linen blend at about 1 gram each, whatever is printed on them.