How do I convert Cups to ML in my head?

A quick way to estimate is to think of one cup as 240 ml. Half a cup is 120 ml, and a quarter cup is 60 ml.

Is a Cup the same size everywhere?

No. A US Customary cup is about 237 ml, a US Legal cup (used on nutrition labels) is exactly 240 ml, and a Metric cup used in Australia and the UK is exactly 250 ml.

Convert Cups to Milliliters (cup to mL)

Converting Cups to Milliliters (mL) is a frequent source of confusion in the kitchen because the “cup” is not a uniform standard. While many Commonwealth countries use the Metric Cup (standardized to 250 mL), recipes from the United States rely on the US Customary Cup, which is approximately 236.59 mL. This tool uses the US standard, as it is the most common default for online recipes, ensuring your baking ratios remain precise.

Cups to mL Converter

Cups (US)

Milliliters (mL)

Enter a value above

*Based on US Customary Cup (approx. 236.6 mL).

Master Volume Converter

Volume Value

From

The Formula

Multiply the number of Cups by approximately 236.6:

Cups × 236.6 = mL

Example

If a recipe calls for 2 Cups of milk:

2 × 236.6 = 473.2 mL (Note: This is often rounded to 475 mL or 480 mL in cookbooks)

Kitchen & Culinary Volume Insights

💡 The “240 Rule” for Baking

In the world of professional baking, precision is key. While the exact conversion is 236.59 ml, most modern measuring tools and nutritional labels round one cup to 240 ml to make the math simpler for everyone.

Example: 1 Cup is approximately 236.59 ml.

Example: 1/2 Cup is approximately 118.3 ml.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Milliliters are in a Cup?

One US customary cup is equivalent to 236.588237 milliliters. However, if you are reading a food label in the US, the “legal cup” is defined as 240 ml. If you are following a recipe from the UK, Australia, or Canada, they typically use a “metric cup” which is 250 ml.

Why does the cup size change between countries?

The US cup is based on the Imperial system, while most other countries transitioned to the Metric system. To keep things easy for home cooks, metric countries standardized their “cup” to 250 ml, which is exactly one-quarter of a liter. Always check the origin of your recipe to ensure perfect results!

How do I convert Cups to ML easily?

If you don’t have a calculator, multiply the number of cups by 240. For example, if a recipe calls for 2 cups of milk, 2 times 240 is 480 ml. This is close enough for almost all cooking and baking needs without needing to worry about complex decimal points.