Provided are a method and apparatus for inputting a three-dimensional (3D) location. The method determines whether a control signal for moving a pointer existing at a point in a two-dimensional (2D) coordinate plane is a 3D movement signal for moving the pointer into a 3D space; and based on a result of the determination, the method selectively moves the pointer to a point in the 3D space existing in a direction perpendicular to the 2D coordinate plane, according to the control signal.