Cups to Millilitres Converter
236.6 ml in a US cup, 250 ml in a metric cup
One US customary cup is 236.6 millilitres. A metric cup, used in Australia and New Zealand, is 250 ml.
A US cup is 236.588 millilitres. Almost nobody measures to that precision, so 237 ml is the working figure, and plenty of recipes simply round to 240 ml.
The complication is that 'cup' means different volumes in different countries, and the gap between a US cup and a metric cup is about 6%. This page converts all of them.
Reference table
| cups | millilitres | fluid ounces | tablespoons |
|---|---|---|---|
| ⅛ cup | 29.57 ml | 1 fl oz | 2 tbsp |
| ¼ cup | 59.15 ml | 2 fl oz | 4 tbsp |
| ⅓ cup | 78.78 ml | 2.66 fl oz | 5.33 tbsp |
| ½ cup | 118.3 ml | 4 fl oz | 8 tbsp |
| ⅔ cup | 157.8 ml | 5.34 fl oz | 10.67 tbsp |
| ¾ cup | 177.4 ml | 6 fl oz | 12 tbsp |
| 1 cup | 236.6 ml | 8 fl oz | 16 tbsp |
| 1¼ cup | 295.7 ml | 10 fl oz | 20 tbsp |
| 1½ cup | 354.9 ml | 12 fl oz | 24 tbsp |
| 2 cup | 473.2 ml | 16 fl oz | 32 tbsp |
| 3 cup | 709.8 ml | 24 fl oz | 48 tbsp |
| 4 cup | 946.4 ml | 32 fl oz | 64 tbsp |
Cup sizes and their millilitre values
For a savoury dish, none of these differences will hurt you. For bread, cake or pastry, a 6% swing in liquid changes the dough noticeably, and a 20% swing changes it completely.
| Cup | Millilitres | Difference from US cup |
|---|---|---|
| US customary cup | 236.6 ml | — |
| US legal cup (labels) | 240 ml | +1.4% |
| Metric cup (AU, NZ, CA) | 250 ml | +5.7% |
| Imperial cup (older UK) | 284.1 ml | +20.1% |
| Japanese cup | 200 ml | −15.5% |
The fractions in millilitres
- ¼ cup = 59 ml
- ⅓ cup = 79 ml
- ½ cup = 118 ml
- ⅔ cup = 158 ml
- ¾ cup = 177 ml
- 1 cup = 237 ml
- 1½ cups = 355 ml
- 2 cups = 473 ml
Millilitres are not grams, except for water
Water has a density of almost exactly 1 gram per millilitre, so 250 ml of water weighs 250 g. That is a genuine convenience and also a trap, because it works for water and almost nothing else.
Oil is lighter: 250 ml of vegetable oil weighs about 230 g. Honey is much heavier: 250 ml weighs about 360 g. Milk is slightly heavier than water at about 258 g per 250 ml.
If a recipe gives you millilitres and your scale reads grams, use the grams to millilitres converter, which knows the density of each ingredient.
Measuring millilitres accurately at home
- A clear jug read at eye level beats a dry measuring cup for any liquid.
- For under 30 ml, use measuring spoons: 1 tablespoon is 15 ml and 1 teaspoon is 5 ml.
- Medicine syringes from a pharmacy are excellent for 1–20 ml and cost almost nothing.
- A digital scale set to grams works for water-like liquids without any jug at all.
Frequently asked questions
How many ml are in a cup?
A US customary cup is 236.6 ml. A metric cup is 250 ml and an imperial cup is 284.1 ml.
How many ml is half a cup?
Half a US cup is about 118 ml. Half a metric cup is 125 ml.
Is 250 ml the same as 1 cup?
It is one metric cup, used in Australia, New Zealand and Canada. A US cup is 236.6 ml, about 5.7% smaller.
How many cups is 500 ml?
500 ml is 2.11 US cups, or exactly 2 metric cups.
Is 1 ml the same as 1 gram?
Only for water and liquids close to it in density. Oil, honey, syrup and milk all weigh a different amount per millilitre.