Shopping for a new bed, sheets or a bed frame? Here are the standard New Zealand bed sizes in centimetres, plus how to pick the right one for your room, your height and the person (or pets) you share with.
Quick answer: the six standard NZ sizes are single (91 x 188 cm), king single (107 x 203 cm), double (137 x 188 cm), queen (153 x 203 cm), king (167 x 203 cm) and super king (183 x 203 cm). Width always comes first.
NZ bed size chart
Mattress width x length in centimetres, as listed by NZ bedding brand Dreamland. For millimetres, multiply by 10.
| Size | Width x length (cm) | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Single | 91 x 188 | Young kids, bunks, small rooms |
| King single | 107 x 203 | Older kids, teens, solo adults |
| Double | 137 x 188 | Solo adults, guest rooms |
| Queen | 153 x 203 | Most couples |
| King | 167 x 203 | Couples wanting more space |
| Super king | 183 x 203 | Couples plus kids or pets |
Why do some charts show slightly different numbers? We couldn’t find a single official NZ standard for mattress sizes, and published charts often differ by a centimetre or two. Australia’s consumer group CHOICE, for example, lists a single as 92 x 187 cm. UK impartial advice service Bed Advice UK warns that beds with the same size name may not be the same size, and the National Bed Federation says accepted UK industry practice is plus or minus 20 mm on the stated size. If a tight fit matters, measure the actual mattress and base.
Other sizes you might see
- Long single, commonly around 92 x 203 cm: a single’s width with a queen’s length, handy for a tall child in a narrow room. That’s the figure Australia’s CHOICE lists, so check the exact width before you buy sheets or a frame.
- California king: a name you’ll sometimes see on oversized beds. Check the centimetres, because in the US a California king is 72 x 84 inches, or roughly 183 x 213 cm (Sleep Foundation).
Choosing a bed size for your room
A common rule of thumb is to leave about 60 cm of clear floor on each side of the bed you need to walk around. The US-based Sleep Foundation suggests about 24 inches, which is roughly 60 cm. Australia’s consumer group CHOICE notes that retailers and manufacturers recommend the largest bed your room can accommodate.
Using that 60 cm rule, here’s the rough minimum room width for a bed with walking space on both sides (mattress width plus 120 cm):
- Double: about 2.6 m
- Queen: about 2.75 m
- King: about 2.9 m
- Super king: about 3.05 m
For room length, allow the mattress length plus about 60 cm at the foot: roughly 2.5 m for a 188 cm bed and 2.65 m for a 203 cm bed. Add a few centimetres more for the frame and bedhead, which are usually bigger than the mattress. Singles and king singles often sit against a wall, so they only need walking space on one side.
Before you buy, mark the bed’s footprint on the floor with masking tape, and measure doorways, hallways and stair turns. Consumer NZ’s mattress buying guide notes that platform bases from king size up are usually split in two so they fit through doorways and up stairs.
Couples: how much room do you each get?
Halve the mattress width to see your personal space:
- Double: about 68 cm each
- Queen: about 76 cm each
- King: about 83 cm each
- Super king: about 91 cm each, roughly the width of a single bed
UK impartial advice service Bed Advice UK suggests a simple test: you should both be able to lie side by side with your hands behind your heads and elbows out, without touching. If you can’t do that comfortably on a double, try a queen or bigger. A king or super king gives extra room for a restless sleeper, a child who climbs in at 3am, or a dog at your feet.
Kids beds
For children, the usual choices are a single, long single or king single. A king single can last from primary school through the teenage years. For bunks and mattress firmness by age, see Dreamland’s kids sizing guide.
Related: how to choose the right mattress for your age and stage.
Tall? Choose a 203 cm long bed
Both CHOICE and Bed Advice UK suggest a mattress at least 10 to 15 cm longer than the tallest person sleeping on it.
- 188 cm long (single and double): by that rule, suits people up to roughly 173 to 178 cm tall.
- 203 cm long (long single, king single, queen, king and super king): suits people up to roughly 188 to 193 cm tall.
Sleeping solo and tall? A king single gives you queen length in a narrower footprint. If you’re taller than about 193 cm, the standard NZ sizes stop at 203 cm long, so ask about extra-length or custom options.
Bed base, frame and bedding fit
- Base and mattress: they share the same size names, but Bed Advice UK warns that beds with the same name may not be the same size, especially when the mattress and base come from different makers. Buying them together is the easiest way to get a good fit.
- Frames and bedheads: a frame is bigger than the mattress on the outside. For a slatted frame, check the inside measurements match your mattress.
- Fitted sheets: buy sheets labelled with your NZ size. Consumer NZ suggests checking the mattress depth so you know your sheets will fit, and allow for any topper or protector too.
- Imported bedding: this is the classic trap. An Australian king is 183 cm wide (CHOICE), which matches an NZ super king, not an NZ king. Australian king sheets will be too wide for a 167 cm NZ king.
NZ vs Australian, UK and US bed sizes
Size names travel badly. Australian sizes below are from CHOICE, UK sizes from Bed Advice UK and US sizes from the Sleep Foundation (converted from inches and rounded). Each row shows the nearest equivalent, all in cm.
NZ and Australia
| NZ | Australia |
|---|---|
| Single 91 x 188 | Single 92 x 187 |
| King single 107 x 203 | King single 106 x 203 |
| Double 137 x 188 | Double 137 x 187 |
| Queen 153 x 203 | Queen 153 x 203 |
| King 167 x 203 | No match |
| Super king 183 x 203 | King 183 x 203 |
NZ, UK and US
| NZ | UK | US |
|---|---|---|
| Single 91 x 188 | Single 90 x 190 | Twin 97 x 191 |
| King single 107 x 203 | No match | Twin XL 97 x 203 |
| Double 137 x 188 | Double 135 x 190 | Full 137 x 191 |
| Queen 153 x 203 | King 150 x 200 | Queen 152 x 203 |
| King 167 x 203 | No match | No match |
| Super king 183 x 203 | Super king 180 x 200 | California king 183 x 213 |
US sizes are sold in inches: twin 38 x 75, twin XL 38 x 80, full 54 x 75, queen 60 x 80 and California king 72 x 84. The cm figures above are rounded conversions.
- “King” means four different widths: about 167 cm in NZ, 183 cm in Australia, 150 cm in the UK and 193 cm in the US (76 x 80 inches).
- UK singles and doubles are 190 cm long and UK kings are 200 cm, so they don’t line up exactly with NZ lengths.
- The NZ king has no close match overseas, so check centimetres before ordering king bedding from abroad.
NZ bed size FAQs
What size is a single bed in NZ?
A standard NZ single is 91 cm wide and 188 cm long. If you need more length, a long single or king single is 203 cm long.
What size is a double bed in NZ?
A double is 137 x 188 cm, the same length as a single. A queen is 16 cm wider and 15 cm longer, which makes a big difference for couples and taller sleepers.
What are the dimensions of a queen bed in NZ?
A queen is 153 x 203 cm. That’s the same as the Australian queen listed by CHOICE, and very close to a US queen (60 x 80 inches, about 152 x 203 cm).
What’s the difference between a single and a king single?
A king single (107 x 203 cm) is 16 cm wider and 15 cm longer than a single (91 x 188 cm). It’s the same length as a queen, so it suits growing kids, teens and tall solo sleepers.
How big is a king and a super king bed in NZ?
An NZ king is 167 x 203 cm, 14 cm wider than a queen. A super king is 183 x 203 cm, another 16 cm wider, and the same size as an Australian king.
How big is an Alaskan king bed?
According to the Sleep Foundation, an Alaskan king is 108 x 108 inches, about 274 x 274 cm. It isn’t one of the standard sizes, is usually special-ordered, and frames and bedding can be hard to find. It isn’t a standard NZ size either, so a super king (183 x 203 cm) is the biggest of the six standard NZ sizes.
Try before you buy
Numbers only tell you so much. If you can, lie on a couple of sizes with your partner before deciding. You can find a Dreamland stockist near you. Ranges and sizes vary by store, so it’s worth calling ahead. You can also browse Dreamland’s mattress range online to compare sizes before you go.
Sources: CHOICE mattress buying guide; Bed Advice UK bed buyers guide; National Bed Federation regulations and standards; Sleep Foundation mattress sizes; Sleep Foundation Alaskan king dimensions; Consumer NZ mattress buying guide.
Edited by Quill, 8 Hours editor
Last updated: 22 October 2026
Originally written by Jo Joiner, updated by Quill, the AI editor of 8 Hours, then checked and approved by a person on the 8 Hours team.
8 Hours is owned and published by NZ bedding company Dreamland, and our articles include links to Dreamland. We aim to give advice that is useful whichever brand you choose.
