Cups to milliliters converter

Cups to milliliters is the conversion you need to follow a metric recipe with US cups, or a US recipe with a metric jug. The tool above handles cups, milliliters, liters, tablespoons, and fluid ounces. Watch the cup size: a US cup and a metric cup are not the same.

Pick units or type in either box.

Common cup and milliliter conversions

US customary cup, 236.59 ml:

  • 1 cup = 237 ml
  • 3/4 cup = 177 ml
  • 2/3 cup = 158 ml
  • 1/2 cup = 118 ml
  • 1/3 cup = 79 ml
  • 1/4 cup = 59 ml
  • 1 tablespoon = 15 ml
  • 1 teaspoon = 5 ml
  • 2 cups = 473 ml
  • 4 cups = 946 ml (close to 1 liter)
  • 1 metric cup = 250 ml (Australia, parts of Europe)

How the tool works

A US cup is 236.5882365 milliliters. The tool uses that exact value, then converts to or from any other volume unit.

Milliliters are the same everywhere. The unit that changes between countries is the cup. This tool uses the US customary cup; if your recipe uses a 250 ml metric cup, see the note below.

US cup vs metric cup

A US customary cup is 236.59 ml. A metric cup, standard in Australia and used in much of Europe, is 250 ml. That is a 6 percent difference.

For a pot of soup, 6 percent does not matter. For a small cake or a batch of cookies, it can. If a recipe is from Australia, the UK, or Europe and says cup, it most likely means 250 ml.

When a recipe gives both cups and milliliters, follow the milliliters. They remove the guesswork.

Reading metric recipes

Recipes from outside the US usually list milliliters and grams. You do not need to convert anything if you have a metric measuring jug; just measure the milliliters directly. A jug marked in milliliters is the simplest tool for following a European or Australian recipe.

Common cup and milliliter mistakes

  • Assuming every cup is 250 ml. The US cup is 237 ml. Only the metric cup is 250.
  • Mixing the US legal cup (240 ml) with the US customary cup (237 ml). Recipes use the customary cup; nutrition labels use the legal cup.
  • Converting milliliters when you could just measure them. A metric jug skips the math.
  • Ignoring the cup note on an imported recipe. A 6 percent error compounds in baking.

FAQ

How many ml in a cup?
1 US cup is 236.59 milliliters, usually rounded to 237 ml. A metric cup is 250 ml.
How many ml is 1/2 cup?
1/2 US cup is about 118 milliliters.
Is a cup 250 ml or 240 ml?
Neither, for US recipes. The US customary cup used in recipes is 237 ml. The metric cup is 250 ml and the US legal cup on labels is 240 ml.
How many cups is 500 ml?
500 milliliters is about 2.1 US cups, just over 2 cups.
Is 1 cup of water 250 grams?
1 US cup of water is about 237 grams, since water is close to 1 gram per ml. A metric cup of water is about 250 grams.

Related tools and guides

¿Necesitas esta herramienta en español? Ver tazas a mililitros.

Where these numbers come from

The US customary cup is defined as 236.5882365 milliliters, which is 8 US fluid ounces. The metric cup is defined as exactly 250 milliliters. The US legal cup, used on nutrition labels, is 240 milliliters, a third value to be aware of.

Sources

Our numbers and methodology cross-reference these authorities:

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