Cups to Milliliters Converter
Convert US cups to milliliters instantly. Type any cup value and get the exact mL result. Includes a cooking conversion table, formula, and common recipe amounts.
Milliliters (mL)
Need the reverse? Convert milliliters to US cups →
Common US cups to Milliliters Conversions
| US cups (cup) | milliliters (mL) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 0.125 cup | 29.57 mL | ⅛ cup |
| 0.25 cup | 59.15 mL | ¼ cup |
| 0.333 cup | 78.86 mL | ⅓ cup |
| 0.5 cup | 118.29 mL | ½ cup |
| 0.667 cup | 157.73 mL | ⅔ cup |
| 0.75 cup | 177.44 mL | ¾ cup |
| 1 cup | 236.59 mL | 1 cup |
| 2 cup | 473.18 mL | 2 cups / 1 pint |
| 4 cup | 946.35 mL | 4 cups / 1 quart |
The Cups-to-Milliliters Formula
1 US customary cup equals exactly 236.5882365 milliliters (defined as exactly 8 US fluid ounces, where 1 fl oz = 29.5735296 mL). To convert cups to milliliters, multiply by 236.588. Common cup fractions: ¼ cup = 59.15 mL, ⅓ cup ≈ 78.86 mL, ½ cup = 118.29 mL, ¾ cup = 177.44 mL. Note: Australia uses a metric cup of 250 mL, which is slightly larger than the US cup. UK recipes may use a 284 mL imperial cup (rare) or simply specify milliliters.
Why Cup Measurements Are Imprecise for Baking
Volume measurements (cups, tablespoons, teaspoons) are practical for cooking but introduce variability in baking, where consistency matters. How you fill a measuring cup dramatically affects the result: a loosely scooped cup of all-purpose flour can weigh 120–160 grams (a 33% difference), while 1 cup measured in mL is always the same volume. For this reason, professional baking recipes and most international recipes specify ingredients by weight (grams), not volume. When following a US cup recipe that specifies flour without weights, the standard technique is to spoon flour into the cup and level with a straight edge — not to scoop directly from the bag, which compacts the flour.
Cups vs. Milliliters in International Recipes
US recipes use cups as the primary liquid volume unit. Metric recipes (from the UK, Europe, Australia, and most of the rest of the world) use milliliters and liters. When converting a US recipe to metric or vice versa, the cups-to-milliliters conversion is essential. Note that not all 'cups' are equal: a US cup = 236.6 mL, an Australian metric cup = 250 mL, and a UK cup (uncommon, based on imperial fluid ounces) = 284.1 mL. For ingredients specified as tablespoons: 1 tablespoon = 14.79 mL (US) = 15 mL (metric tablespoon used in AU, UK, CA).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many milliliters is 1 US cup?
1 US cup equals exactly 236.588 milliliters (236.5882365 mL to be precise). This is the same as 8 US fluid ounces.
Is an Australian cup different from a US cup?
Yes. An Australian metric cup = 250 mL, which is about 5.7% larger than a US cup (236.6 mL). For most cooking, this difference is small enough to ignore, but in precise baking it can affect results — especially for liquid-heavy recipes.
How many cups is 500 mL?
500 mL ÷ 236.588 ≈ 2.11 US cups. This is just over 2 cups (or 1 US pint). In recipes, 500 mL is often rounded to 2 cups for convenience.
How many milliliters is ¼ cup?
¼ US cup = 59.15 mL. Other common fractions: ⅓ cup ≈ 78.86 mL, ½ cup = 118.29 mL, ¾ cup = 177.44 mL.