You’ve found the perfect bed frame online, but a nagging question remains: is a queen bed the same width everywhere? If you’ve ever tried to buy sheets across borders or ordered a mattress from a UK site while living in Ireland, you already know the answer is no. A queen in the US measures 60 inches wide, but in the UK the same name spans just 47 inches — a 13-inch difference that can break a bedroom layout.

Don't miss these

4 related posts

US queen width: 60 in (152 cm) ·
UK queen width: 47 in (120 cm) ·
Ireland queen width: 60 in (152 cm) ·
Queen vs double (US): 6 in wider ·
Queen vs king (US): 16 in narrower

Quick snapshot: queen bed width by region

1Queen width by region
2Queen vs other US sizes
3What is unclear
  • Ireland has no official queen standard; retailers use US queen dimensions or list 4 ft 6 in doubles (Beds.ie Ireland size guide)
  • The label “200×200 cm” queen appears on Quora but lacks verified official source (Wikipedia — Bed size shows no 200×200 queen)
4What to watch when buying
  • Always check the supplier’s stated inches/cm before ordering cross-border
  • Sheets labelled “Queen” from the US may not fit a UK queen mattress
  • Irish “King” (150×200 cm) is actually closer to a US queen in width but shorter in length
The upshot

The word “queen” is a homonym for mattresses: it means 60 inches across in the US and Ireland, but only 47 inches in the UK. A buyer who trusts the label rather than the number risks buying a bed that’s either too small or too large for their room.

What is the width of a queen bed?

Queen width is the single most important dimension for bedroom planning — it determines whether the bed fits between walls and nightstands. Because three major English-speaking markets use the same word for different sizes, the answer depends entirely on where you are.

Queen bed width in inches

  • United States: 60 inches (5 ft 0 in). This is the standard across all major US mattress retailers and is codified by the mattress industry’s voluntary size guidelines. (SizeChart US Bed Size Chart)
  • United Kingdom: 47 inches (approx 3 ft 11 in). In the UK, “queen” is a less common size; what Americans call a queen is closer to a UK king (60 inches wide). UK retailers sometimes label this size “Small Double” instead of queen. (MyBedFrames UK bed sizes guide)
  • Ireland: 60 inches (5 ft 0 in). Irish retailers generally follow US dimensions for queen beds, despite using a naming system that assigns “king” to a 150×200 cm (59×79 in) mattress. (Dochara travel guide)

Queen bed width in centimeters

For metric-based planning, here is the queen width conversion for each region.

The implication: A 140 cm-wide bed frame sold in continental Europe as “queen” will fit a US queen mattress? No — it’s 12 cm too narrow. Always verify the exact cm measurement, not the label.

Why this matters

If you order a “queen” mattress from a UK online store while living in Ireland, you will receive a 47×75 inch bed — 13 inches narrower than what most Irish retailers sell as queen. Your existing US queen sheets will not fit, and the bed frame you bought locally will have a 60-inch opening.

How wide is a queen bed in cm?

Centimeter measurements remove the ambiguity of imperial conversions, but regional differences remain. Here is a breakdown with both exact and rounded values as used by retailers.

One metric chart, one pattern: three regions, three different centimeter widths under the same name.

Region Queen width (cm) Queen length (cm) Equivalent size locally
United States 152 cm 203 cm Standard US queen
United Kingdom 120 cm 190 cm Small Double / UK queen
Ireland 152 cm 200 cm (commonly) US queen / Irish king (150×200 cm)
Europe (many) 140-160 cm 190-200 cm No standard “queen” — varies

The trade-off: A US queen mattress (152×203 cm) is 3 cm longer than an Irish king (150×200 cm). If you buy an Irish bed frame designed for a 150×200 cm king mattress, your US queen mattress will overhang the frame by 1.5 cm on each side in width and 1.5 cm in length. Fitted sheets designed for a US queen will not fit an Irish king mattress snugly.

Are double and queen beds the same width?

No — but the difference is small enough to cause confusion, especially when moving between regions. In the US, the gap is exactly 6 inches (15 cm). In the UK, the gap is larger.

Double bed width vs queen bed width

  • US double width: 54 inches (137 cm). A double is 4 ft 6 in wide — historically the most common “two-person” bed size. (SizeChart US Bed Size Chart)
  • US queen width: 60 inches (152 cm). The queen is 6 inches wider per side than a double, which translates to 3 inches of extra shoulder room per person. (Wikipedia — Bed size)
  • UK double width: 135 cm (53 in). The UK double is almost identical to the US double in width. (MyBedFrames UK bed sizes guide)
  • UK queen width: 120 cm (47 in). Surprisingly, a UK queen is narrower than a UK double — 15 cm less width. This is because the UK bed sizing system uses “queen” to mean what other markets call “small double” or “three-quarter bed.” (MyBedFrames UK bed sizes guide)

Why queen is wider than double in US

The US bedding industry introduced the queen size in the 1950s as a middle ground between a double (too narrow for two adults) and a king (too large for standard bedrooms). The 6-inch width increase was engineered to give each sleeper an extra 3 inches of personal space — a small change that significantly improved comfort for couples. (Wikipedia — Bed size)

Bottom line: The paradox: In the UK, the word “queen” denotes a narrower bed than a double, because the UK system evolved differently — “king” became the 150×200 cm size, and “queen” became a catch-all term for any bed that isn’t quite a single or double. A buyer who assumes “queen = bigger than double” may accidentally buy a bed that is 15 cm too narrow for two people.

What size is a queen bed in Ireland?

Ireland presents the most confusing case for queen-size buyers because the market imports both UK naming conventions and US mattress dimensions. The result is a mix where “queen” can mean different things depending on which retailer you ask.

Irish queen bed dimensions

No government or standards body in Ireland publishes an official queen mattress dimension. Instead, Irish retailers generally follow one of two approaches:

  • US-standard approach: Retailers like Dreams Ireland and Dochara state that a queen in Ireland measures 60 x 80 inches (152 x 203 cm) — identical to the US queen.
  • Double-label approach: Some Irish guides, such as Beds.ie, note that the term “queen size” in Ireland often leads consumers to a 4 ft 6 in double (135 x 190 cm) rather than a true US queen, because that’s the largest “two-person” bed many households own.

The most reliable approach: buy based on the stated dimensions (inches or cm), not the label. If a product page says “queen” but lists 135 x 190 cm, that is a double mattress with a queen label — it will be 17 cm narrower and 13 cm shorter than a US queen.

Queen vs king in Ireland

Irish king mattress dimensions are well established: 150 x 200 cm (59 x 79 in) per Mattress Reviews Ireland and Dreams Ireland. This means:

  • Irish queen vs Irish king width: If queen = 152 cm (US queen), then queen is 2 cm wider than king — an unusual situation where the smaller-sounding size is actually wider.
  • Irish queen vs Irish king length: If queen = 203 cm (US length), then queen is 3 cm longer than king.
  • In practice, most Irish shoppers looking for a “big bed” buy an Irish king (150×200 cm), which is functionally equivalent to a US queen in width but shorter in length.
The catch

An Irish king mattress is only 2 cm narrower than a US queen, but standard US queen fitted sheets will not fit an Irish king because the depth and corner pocket dimensions differ. Always buy sheets that match the exact mattress dimensions, not the label.

Is queen bigger than king?

In most markets, no — a king bed is larger than a queen in both width and length. But the exception is Ireland, where a US queen (60×80 in) is actually wider and longer than an Irish king (59×79 in).

Queen vs king width comparison

Three size charts, one pattern: queen versus king width varies dramatically by region.

Region Queen width King width Difference
United States 60 in (152 cm) 76 in (193 cm) King is 16 in (41 cm) wider
United Kingdom 47 in (120 cm) 60 in (152 cm) King is 13 in (33 cm) wider
Ireland (US queen) 60 in (152 cm) 59 in (150 cm) Queen is 1 in (2 cm) wider

The pattern: In the US and UK, king is unequivocally the larger size. In Ireland, the naming inversion means that a queen-size mattress imported from the US is actually larger than a locally labelled king. This is the single most important nuance for anyone buying a bed in or for Ireland.

Queen vs king length comparison

  • US queen length: 80 in (203 cm). Standard US mattress length for queen and king. (SizeChart US Bed Size Chart)
  • US king length: 80 in (203 cm) — same length as queen.
  • UK queen length: 75 in (190 cm). UK queen is 5 inches shorter than UK king.
  • UK king length: 78 in (198 cm) commonly, though some sources list 200 cm. (The Wool Company bedding size guide)
  • Ireland king length: 200 cm (78.7 in). Irish king is shorter than a US queen.

Why this matters: A tall person (over 6 ft 2 in) needs a mattress of at least 80 inches (203 cm) in length. A UK queen (75 in) will leave their feet hanging off the edge. A US queen (80 in) provides sufficient length, but must be paired with a US-queen-compatible bed frame in Ireland, which is rare outside specialist importers.

Confirmed facts

  • US queen width: 60 in (152 cm) — SizeChart US Bed Size Chart
  • UK queen width: 47 in (120 cm) — MyBedFrames UK bed sizes guide
  • US double width: 54 in (137 cm) — Wikipedia — Bed size
  • Queen is 6 in wider than double (US) — Wikipedia — Bed size
  • US king width: 76 in (193 cm) — SizeChart US Bed Size Chart
  • Irish king dimensions: 150×200 cm — Mattress Reviews Ireland

What remains unclear

  • No official Irish queen standard exists; retailers cite either US queen or double dimensions
  • Queen size 200×200 cm appears in unverified community posts but is absent from official size charts
  • Some UK retailers list “Small Double (Queen)” interchangeably, causing inconsistency
TL;DR: A queen bed in the US and Ireland is 60 in (152 cm) wide, but in the UK it is only 47 in (120 cm) wide — a 13-inch difference. For any two adults sleeping together: US queen is adequate; UK queen is too narrow. For tall sleepers: US queen (80 in length) is sufficient; UK queen (75 in) is not.

Related reading: US vs Irish bed sizes · International mattress size comparison guide

Additional sources

kiwijournal.nz, flobeds.com, fambed.co.uk, victorialinen.co.uk

Frequently asked questions about queen bed width

What is the width of a queen bed in feet?
A US queen bed is 5 ft 0 in wide. A UK queen is 3 ft 11 in wide. An Ireland queen (following US dimensions) is also 5 ft 0 in wide.

How many inches wide is a queen size mattress?
In the US: 60 inches. In the UK: 47 inches. In Ireland: 60 inches (US queen dimensions) or 53 inches (135 cm double, sometimes labelled queen).

What is the difference between a queen and a double bed width?
In the US: queen is 6 inches (15 cm) wider than double. In the UK: queen is 15 cm narrower than double because UK queen equals 120 cm (small double), while UK double is 135 cm.

Can I use queen sheets on a double bed?
No — a queen sheet is 6 inches wider than a double mattress in the US. The excess fabric will bunch up, creating uncomfortable wrinkles and increasing the risk of the sheet slipping off the corners.

What is the width of a queen bed in Ireland?
Most Irish retailers use 60 inches (152 cm) for a queen — the same as the US queen. However, some sources warn that the term can refer to a 4 ft 6 in double (135 cm). Always verify the specific product dimensions before purchasing.

Is a queen bed wider than a twin bed?
Yes — a US twin is 38 inches (97 cm) wide. A US queen at 60 inches is 22 inches (56 cm) wider. A UK queen at 47 inches is 9 inches (23 cm) wider than a UK single (approx 90 cm).

What is the standard queen bed width for hotels?
Hotels in the US use the standard 60×80 inch queen. In Ireland, hotels may use either a 150×200 cm king (confusingly marketed as “queen size” to American guests) or a true US queen in rooms aimed at international travelers. Always ask the hotel for exact mattress dimensions if you have specific bedding needs.

For anyone buying a queen bed across US, UK, or Irish markets, the advice is straightforward: never trust the label alone. The width of a queen bed ranges from 47 to 60 inches depending on where you are. Measure your room, check the product’s stated dimensions in inches or cm, and confirm compatibility with your existing frame and sheets. The risk of ending up with a bed that is 13 inches too narrow is real — and entirely avoidable with a 30-second check.