Volume · cooking
Cups to milliliters (without the guesswork)
“A cup” isn’t one fixed size — it depends on the country. Here are the values that matter, and which one to use.
Quick answer
US customary cup = 236.6 ml · Metric cup = 250 ml · US legal cup = 240 ml. For US recipes, use 236.6 ml.
Why there are several cups
Different standards grew up in different places. US recipes use the customary cup (236.588 ml). Nutrition labels in the US use a rounded “legal” cup of 240 ml. Australia, New Zealand and much of the metric world use a 250 ml cup. The old UK imperial cup (284 ml) is now rarely used — modern UK recipes work in millilitres and grams.
| Cup type | Milliliters | Where it’s used |
|---|---|---|
| US customary | 236.6 | US recipes |
| US legal | 240 | US nutrition labels |
| Metric | 250 | Australia, NZ, metric world |
| UK imperial (old) | 284.1 | Older UK recipes |
Common amounts (US customary)
| Amount | Milliliters |
|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon (tsp) | 4.93 |
| 1 tablespoon (tbsp) | 14.79 |
| ¼ cup | 59.1 |
| ⅓ cup | 78.9 |
| ½ cup | 118.3 |
| 1 cup | 236.6 |
| 2 cups | 473.2 |
Worked examples
- 2 cups of milk (US): 2 × 236.588 = 473.2 ml.
- ¾ cup of water (US): 0.75 × 236.588 = 177.4 ml.
- 1 metric cup of flour: exactly 250 ml by volume.
The practical tip
Match the cup to the recipe’s origin. If a recipe is American, use 236.6 ml; if it’s Australian, use 250 ml. The difference (about 6%) is enough to matter in baking, where ratios count.
Frequently asked questions
How many ml in a cup?
It depends on the cup. A US customary cup is 236.6 ml, a metric cup is 250 ml, and a US ‘legal’ cup is 240 ml (used on nutrition labels).
Which cup do US recipes use?
US recipes use the US customary cup, 236.6 ml. Karo Convert uses this value too, so a result like “2 cups = 473.18 ml” matches.
How many ml in a tablespoon and teaspoon?
In the US system, 1 tablespoon = 14.79 ml and 1 teaspoon = 4.93 ml. There are 3 teaspoons in a tablespoon.
Do dry and liquid cups differ?
By volume they’re the same (a cup is a cup). The difference is in how you measure: level off dry ingredients, and read liquids at eye level.