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Cups to mL Converter (US Customary, Legal & Metric)

Convert liquid volume between cups and milliliters supporting US Customary, US Legal Food, and Metric cup standards.

Quick Answer:1 standard US Customary cup is equal to 236.588 milliliters (mL). 1 US Legal cup is 240 mL, and 1 Metric cup is exactly 250 mL.

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How to Use the Cups to mL Converter (US & Metric Cup to Milliliters)

1Select your cup standard: US Customary (236.59 mL), US Legal Nutrition (240 mL), or Metric Cup (250 mL).
2Enter the volume in cups (decimals or common culinary fractions like 1/4, 1/3, 1/2).
3View the exact milliliter (mL) equivalent immediately alongside fluid ounces and liters.
4Toggle reverse conversion to translate milliliters back into fractional recipe cups.

Formula & How It Works

Volume Standard Equivalence Formulas

mL = cups × StandardFactor (236.5882365 | 240 | 250)

US Customary: 1 cup = 8 US fl oz = 236.5882365 mL. US Legal: 1 cup = 240 mL exact. Metric: 1 cup = 250 mL exact.

Worked Examples

Standard US Baking Recipe (1/2 Cup Milk)

Input: 0.5 US Customary Cups

Explanation: 0.5 × 236.5882 = 118.294 mL (approx. 120 mL in kitchen practice).

Result: 118.29 mL

Commonwealth Metric Recipe (2 Cups Broth)

Input: 2 Metric Cups

Explanation: 2 × 250 mL = 500 mL exactly.

Result: 500.00 mL (0.50 L)

US Nutrition Label Cup (1.5 Cups)

Input: 1.5 US Legal Cups

Explanation: 1.5 × 240 mL = 360 mL exactly.

Result: 360.00 mL

Frequently Asked Questions

How many mL is 1 standard cup?▼

In the United States, 1 traditional customary cup equals 236.59 mL. In FDA food labeling, 1 cup equals 240 mL. In Australia, New Zealand, and international metric cooking, 1 cup equals 250 mL.

Does the difference between 236 mL and 250 mL ruin a recipe?▼

For basic cooking (soups, stews, marinades), a ~5% volume variance is rarely noticeable. However, for delicate pastries, macarons, and yeast baking, it can alter hydration ratios significantly. Weighing ingredients in grams is always recommended for pastry.

How do I convert 500 mL into cups?▼

500 mL equals exactly 2.0 Metric cups, or approximately 2.11 US Customary cups.

How many tablespoons are in 1 cup?▼

There are 16 tablespoons in 1 US cup (or 48 teaspoons). In Australia, where a tablespoon is 20 mL, there are 12.5 tablespoons in a 250 mL metric cup.

Is 1 cup of water equal to 1 cup of flour in weight?▼

No. Cups measure volume, not mass. 1 cup of water weighs ~237 grams, whereas 1 cup of all-purpose flour weighs approximately 120 to 125 grams because flour is much less dense.

Does this conversion execute privately in my browser?▼

Yes, 100% of the volume conversions run locally in client-side JavaScript.

Quick Reference & Conversion Table

Cup Fraction	US Customary (mL)	US Legal (mL)	Metric Cup (mL)	Fluid Ounces (fl oz)
1/4 Cup	59.15 mL	60.00 mL	62.50 mL	2.0 fl oz
1/3 Cup	78.86 mL	80.00 mL	83.33 mL	2.67 fl oz
1/2 Cup	118.29 mL	120.00 mL	125.00 mL	4.0 fl oz
2/3 Cup	157.73 mL	160.00 mL	166.67 mL	5.33 fl oz
3/4 Cup	177.44 mL	180.00 mL	187.50 mL	6.0 fl oz
1 Cup	236.59 mL	240.00 mL	250.00 mL	8.0 fl oz

⚠️ Common Pitfalls to Avoid

•Assuming all measuring cups in English-language cookbooks are identical; UK/Australian metric cups are ~5.6% larger than US customary cups.
•Measuring dry flour with liquid measuring cup techniques, introducing dense compaction errors.
•Confusing fluid ounces (volume) with weight ounces (dry mass).

💡 Practical Real-World Uses

•Translating international culinary and pastry baking recipes accurately.
•Measuring liquid medication dosages when measuring spoons or syringes indicate mL.
•Calculating dietary macronutrient intake from packaged food nutritional panels.

International Cup Standards

Standard	Exact mL	Fluid Ounces	Primary Countries
US Customary Cup	236.588 mL	8.00 fl oz	United States (traditional recipes)
US Legal Cup	240.000 mL	8.12 fl oz	United States (FDA nutrition labeling)
Metric Cup	250.000 mL	8.45 fl oz	Australia, New Zealand, Canada, UK
Japanese Cup (Gō)	200.000 mL	6.76 fl oz	Japan (traditional cooking and sake)