1 Cup to ml: The Essential US Cooking Conversion
Convert 1 cup to ml with the exact formula: 1 US cup equals 236.59 ml. The key link between American recipes and metric measuring tools.
Why 1 Cup to ml Matters
The cup is the backbone of American cooking, while milliliters rule the rest of the world. Converting 1 cup to ml is the bridge that lets US cooks follow metric recipes and lets everyone use metric jugs and scales.
The answer is 236.59 ml (precisely 236.588 ml). Our cups to ml converter gives it instantly, but the baseline is worth knowing by heart.
The 1 Cup to ml Formula
The US legal cup is defined as 240 ml for nutrition labeling, but the standard US customary cup used in recipes and measuring sets is 236.588 ml. Multiply cups by 236.588 to get milliliters.
The Exact Calculation
For 1 cup: 1 × 236.588 = 236.588 ml, which rounds to 236.59 ml. The number comes from the cup being one-half of a US pint, which is one-fourth of a quart, which is 946.353 ml.
To go the other way, divide milliliters by 236.588 to reach cups. That is what our ml to cups converter does, and it is handy when a recipe lists 250 ml or 500 ml.
US Cup vs Metric Cup
Be careful: an Australian metric cup is 250 ml, not 236.59 ml. A recipe from Australia will use the larger cup, so 1 Australian cup is about 250 ml while 1 US cup is 236.59 ml. For US cooking, use 236.59 ml.
What 236.59 ml Looks Like
A standard US measuring cup holds 236.59 ml, which is just under a quarter liter. A 250 ml metric measuring cup is slightly larger and is what you see in most international kitchens.
In tablespoons, 1 US cup is 16 tablespoons (since 1 tbsp is 14.787 ml). In fluid ounces, it is 8 fl oz. These equivalences make the cup easy to break down when you lack a metric jug.
1 Cup Compared With Common Volumes
Nearby values help. 1/2 cup is 118.29 ml, 3/4 cup is 177.44 ml, and 2 cups (1 pint) is 473.18 ml. Each cup adds 236.59 ml.
On the metric side, 250 ml is 1.06 US cups and 500 ml is 2.11 US cups. So 1 cup is just under 250 ml. For the reverse case, our guide to 500 ml to cups shows how a half-liter maps to cups.
Practical Uses of the 1 Cup to ml Conversion
The conversion is essential for baking, where metric recipes list liquids in milliliters. Knowing 1 cup is 236.59 ml lets you use a metric jug or scale without a special US cup measure.
It also helps with nutrition labels (which use the 240 ml "nutrition cup"), coffee ratios, and cocktail recipes that specify milliliters. Keeping 236.59 ml in mind turns any cup-based recipe into metric-ready instructions.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many ml is 1 cup?
1 US cup equals 236.59 ml (236.588 ml). Nutrition labels sometimes round to 240 ml.
How do I convert cups to ml?
Multiply the number of cups by 236.588. For 1 cup that gives 236.59 ml.
Is a US cup the same as a metric cup?
No. A US cup is 236.59 ml; an Australian metric cup is 250 ml. Check the recipe origin.
How many ml are in 2 cups?
2 US cups equal 473.18 ml, just under half a liter.
What is 250 ml in cups?
250 ml is about 1.06 US cups, so a 250 ml metric cup is slightly larger than a US cup.
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Quick Summary
1 US cup equals 236.59 ml (236.588 ml). Multiply cups by 236.588 to get milliliters. Note the Australian metric cup is 250 ml, so confirm which cup a recipe means before converting.
Related Guide
500 ml to Cups: US Cooking Conversion for Medium Liquid Volumes
Convert 500 ml to US cups accurately for cooking recipes, beverage portions, and medium liquid volume measurements.
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Disclaimer
Unit conversions on this site use internationally recognized, fixed conversion factors (for example, 1 inch = 2.54 cm, 1 pound = 0.45359237 kg, 1 °F = (°C × 9/5) + 32). They are provided for general, informational, and educational use. For applications where accuracy is critical — such as medical dosing, engineering, scientific research, trade, or legal compliance — always verify results against authoritative sources such as the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the official International System of Units (SI) brochure, and follow any applicable local standards.
Exact Constants & Authoritative Sources
Every conversion on this page uses the fixed, internationally agreed constants below — drawn from NIST and the SI Brochure. No values are estimated or rounded as if exact. See the full list on our Sources & Standards page.
- EXACT1 US gallon (gal) = 3.785411784 litres (exact, 231 in³)
- EXACT1 US fluid ounce (fl oz) = 29.5735295625 mL (exact, 1/128 gal)
- EXACT1 US cup = 236.5882365 mL (exact, 8 fl oz)
- EXACT1 US pint (pt) = 473.176473 mL (exact, 16 fl oz)
- EXACT1 US quart (qt) = 946.352946 mL (exact, 32 fl oz)
- EXACT1 litre (L) = 1000 millilitres (definition)
Common Pitfalls & How to Avoid Them
US vs. Imperial (UK) cups
A US cup is 236.59 mL, but a UK/metric cup is 250 mL and an Imperial cup is ~284 mL. Recipes from different countries are not interchangeable drop-in.
Fluid ounce is volume, not mass
A US fl oz is 29.57 mL of volume. 1 fl oz of water ≈ 29.57 g, but 1 fl oz of honey or oil weighs more. Do not treat fluid ounces as grams.
Teaspoon/tablespoon sizes differ
1 US tbsp = 14.7868 mL; 1 US tsp = 4.92892 mL. Metric measuring spoons are 15 mL and 5 mL — close but not exact; for baking precision use weighed grams.
A unit-conversion reference site has no manufacturer-specific or device calibration parameters, so "layered tuning" does not apply here. The only real error-handling is input validation: the converter rejects non-numeric, empty, or out-of-range entries and shows a clear message, then falls back to exact constants above. No estimated or rounded figures are ever presented as exact.
Authoritative sources for this page
- NIST (U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology) — NIST SP 330 — The International System of Units (SI), 2019 edition
- BIPM (International Bureau of Weights and Measures) — SI Brochure — The International System of Units (9th edition)
Last Updated 2026 | This article was reviewed for accuracy