Convert mL to cups
PrintmL to Cup Conversion Table
| Milliliter (mL) | Cup (US cup) |
|---|---|
| 5 mL | 0.0211338 cups |
| 10 mL | 0.0422675 cups |
| 15 mL | 0.0634013 cups |
| 50 mL | 0.2113376 cups |
| 100 mL | 0.4226753 cups |
| 200 mL | 0.8453506 cups |
| 236.59 mL | 1 cup |
| 250 mL | 1.0566882 cups |
| 500 mL | 2.1133764 cups |
| 1000 mL | 4.2267528 cups |
How to Convert Milliliters (mL) to Cups
To convert liquid volume from milliliters (mL) to US Customary cups, divide your milliliter measurement by 236.588 (or multiply by 0.00422675). For recipes using international Metric cups (Australia, New Zealand, Canada), divide your milliliters by 250.
US Customary Cup Formula
Cups (US) = mL ÷ 236.5882
1 US Cup = 8 US Fluid Ounces = 236.588 mL
Metric Cup Formula (AU / NZ / CA)
Cups (Metric) = mL ÷ 250
1 Metric Cup = 250 mL exact (1/4 liter)
Understanding the 4 Global Cup Standards
One of the most common kitchen baking mistakes is using the wrong cup standard when following international recipes. Depending on your country and recipe source, a “cup” has different legal definitions:
| Cup Standard | Volume in Milliliters | Fluid Ounces (fl oz) | Where It Is Used |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Customary Cup | 236.588 mL | 8.00 fl oz (US) | United States home cooking & traditional recipes |
| Metric Cup | 250.000 mL | 8.45 fl oz (US) / 8.80 fl oz (UK) | Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa, UK |
| US Legal Cup (FDA) | 240.000 mL | 8.12 fl oz (US) | US Nutrition Facts labeling & commercial packaging |
| UK Imperial Cup (Traditional) | 284.131 mL | 10.00 fl oz (Imperial) | Pre-metrication British & Commonwealth vintage cookbooks |
Standard Recipe Baking Fractions (Cups to mL & Fluid Ounces)
Use this lookup table for fast kitchen measurement conversions between baking cups, milliliters, tablespoons, and fluid ounces:
| Cup Fraction | US Customary (mL) | Metric Cup (mL) | Tablespoons (Tbsp) | Fluid Ounces (fl oz) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/8 Cup (2 Tbsp) | 29.57 mL | 31.25 mL | 2 Tbsp | 1.0 fl oz |
| 1/4 Cup | 59.15 mL | 62.50 mL | 4 Tbsp | 2.0 fl oz |
| 1/3 Cup | 78.86 mL | 83.33 mL | 5 Tbsp + 1 tsp | 2.67 fl oz |
| 1/2 Cup | 118.29 mL | 125.00 mL | 8 Tbsp | 4.0 fl oz |
| 2/3 Cup | 157.73 mL | 166.67 mL | 10 Tbsp + 2 tsp | 5.33 fl oz |
| 3/4 Cup | 177.44 mL | 187.50 mL | 12 Tbsp | 6.0 fl oz |
| 1 Cup | 236.59 mL | 250.00 mL | 16 Tbsp | 8.0 fl oz |
| 1.5 Cups (1 1/2) | 354.88 mL | 375.00 mL | 24 Tbsp | 12.0 fl oz |
| 2 Cups (1 Pint) | 473.18 mL | 500.00 mL | 32 Tbsp | 16.0 fl oz |
| 4 Cups (1 Quart) | 946.35 mL | 1,000.00 mL (1 L) | 64 Tbsp | 32.0 fl oz |
Milliliters to Cups Master Conversion Table (50 mL to 1,000 mL)
High-precision conversion table covering common liquid volume quantities from 50 mL to 1 Liter:
| Milliliters (mL) | US Customary Cups | Metric Cups | Closest Kitchen Measure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 mL | 0.211 cups | 0.200 cups | ~3 tbsp + 1 tsp |
| 100 mL | 0.423 cups | 0.400 cups | Just under 1/2 cup (6.7 tbsp) |
| 150 mL | 0.634 cups | 0.600 cups | Approx. 2/3 cup |
| 200 mL | 0.845 cups | 0.800 cups | Approx. 3/4 cup + 1.5 tbsp |
| 250 mL | 1.057 cups | 1.000 cup | 1 full metric cup (or 1 US cup + 1 tbsp) |
| 300 mL | 1.268 cups | 1.200 cups | Approx. 1 1/4 cups |
| 350 mL | 1.479 cups | 1.400 cups | Approx. 1 1/2 cups |
| 400 mL | 1.691 cups | 1.600 cups | Approx. 1 2/3 cups |
| 500 mL | 2.113 cups | 2.000 cups | 2 Metric cups (or ~2.1 US cups) |
| 750 mL (Wine bottle) | 3.170 cups | 3.000 cups | 3 Metric cups (or ~3 1/6 US cups) |
| 1,000 mL (1 Liter) | 4.227 cups | 4.000 cups | 4 Metric cups (or ~4 1/4 US cups) |
Important: Liquid Volume (mL) vs Dry Ingredient Weight (Grams)
Milliliters (mL) and cups are both volume units. For pure water, milk, and broth: 1 mL ≈ 1 gram. However, for dry goods (like all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, or cocoa powder), 1 cup of volume does not weigh the same number of grams or milliliters because of density differences:
- Water / Milk / Vinegar: 1 US Cup = 237 mL = ~237 grams (1:1 ratio)
- All-Purpose Flour (un-sifted): 1 US Cup = 237 mL volume = ~120 to 125 grams weight
- Granulated White Sugar: 1 US Cup = 237 mL volume = ~200 grams weight
- Brown Sugar (packed): 1 US Cup = 237 mL volume = ~220 grams weight
- Vegetable Oil / Olive Oil: 1 US Cup = 237 mL volume = ~218 grams weight
- Honey / Molasses: 1 US Cup = 237 mL volume = ~340 grams weight
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How many cups is 250 mL?
In metric recipes (Australia, UK, New Zealand, Canada), 250 mL is exactly 1 cup. In standard US Customary recipes, 250 mL equals 1.0567 cups (which is 1 cup plus roughly 1 tablespoon).
How many cups is 500 mL?
500 mL is exactly 2 Metric cups or 2.1134 US Customary cups (roughly 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons).
How many mL is 1/2 cup?
A 1/2 US Customary cup equals 118.29 mL (frequently rounded to 120 mL). A 1/2 Metric cup equals 125.00 mL.
What is a fast mental math trick to convert mL to cups?
For quick approximations: divide the mL number by 250 (or multiply by 4 and shift two decimal places left). For example, 750 mL × 4 = 3000 -> 3 cups.
Explore Related Measurement Converters
Browse our suite of cooking volume and dimensional measurement calculators: