Millilitres to Cups Converter
Convert millilitres (ml) to US cups for any recipe. One US cup equals approximately 236.6 ml. This converter is essential when following metric recipes with US measuring cups, or vice versa.
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Here is the one kitchen conversion that actually stays simple: millilitres to cups. Divide millilitres by 236.588 and you get US cups — period. So 180 ml of cream for a Japanese cheesecake becomes 0.76 cups, just over three-quarters of a cup. Since both millilitres and cups measure volume rather than weight, the ratio never changes: pour cream, water, olive oil, or maple syrup and the math is identical every time. That is the opposite of grams-to-cups, where density makes the answer different for every single ingredient — here you are simply translating one volume unit to another.
The place where millilitre-to-cup conversion gets messy is when the recipe was written in a different country, because 'one cup' is not the same size everywhere. A US cup holds 236.588 ml, an Australian cup holds 250 ml, a Japanese cup is only 200 ml, and the old UK imperial cup — still printed in pre-1990s British cookbooks — was 284 ml. That 5.7 percent gap between US and Australian cups adds up fast when a recipe calls for 4 or 5 cups of liquid, and it is the single most common reason custards and batters come out slightly off when you cook from international sources. The International Bureau of Weights and Measures does not even recognize the cup as an SI unit, which is one reason professional kitchens and recipe publishers outside the US have moved to millilitres and grams exclusively. If your recipe is already in ml, you are ahead of the curve — just divide by 236.6 when a US measuring cup is the only tool in the drawer.
Millilitres to Cups — Quick Reference Chart
| Millilitres | US Cups | Common Use |
|---|---|---|
| 15 ml | 0.06 cups (1 tbsp) | Vanilla extract |
| 30 ml | 0.13 cups (2 tbsp) | Shot of espresso |
| 60 ml | 0.25 cups (¼) | Small sauce portion |
| 80 ml | 0.33 cups (⅓) | One-third cup |
| 120 ml | 0.50 cups (½) | Half cup of liquid |
| 180 ml | 0.75 cups (¾) | Three-quarter cup |
| 240 ml | 1.01 cups (≈1) | Standard cup |
| 355 ml | 1.50 cups | Standard soda can |
| 500 ml | 2.11 cups | Half a litre |
| 1000 ml | 4.23 cups | One litre |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many ml in a cup?
One US cup equals 236.588 ml (commonly rounded to 240 ml). A metric cup (used in Australia and New Zealand) is exactly 250 ml.
Is 250 ml the same as 1 cup?
It depends on which cup you mean. A metric cup is exactly 250 ml, but a US cup is 236.588 ml. This converter uses the US cup.
How do I convert ml to cups without a calculator?
A quick rule of thumb: divide ml by 240 for an approximate result. For example, 480 ml ÷ 240 = 2 cups. This is close enough for most cooking purposes.
Why do recipes use ml instead of cups?
Millilitres are part of the metric system used worldwide. They're more precise and consistent than cups, which vary in size between countries.
How many ml is half a cup?
Half a US cup is approximately 118 ml (often rounded to 120 ml in recipes).