mL to cups

One US legal cup equals 240 mL (used in nutrition labeling). One US customary cup equals 236.588 mL (used in cooking). Divide mL by 236.6 to convert to cups.

Formula: cups = mL ÷ 236.588

• 250 mL ≈ 1.06 cups (slightly more than 1 cup)
• 500 mL ≈ 2.11 cups
• 1,000 mL (1 L) = 4.23 cups
• 120 mL = 0.51 cups (½ cup)

Cooks in the US using international or European recipes (which specify mL or grams) need mL-to-cups conversion. Metric measuring jugs sold in the US show both mL and cup markings. American baking recipes rarely use mL — if you find a French or British recipe calling for 300 mL of milk, that's about 1¼ cups.

The US cup is unique to the American and some Canadian cooking traditions. Most of the world uses metric volumes (mL, L) or weight (grams) in recipes. Common US measurements: 1 tablespoon = 14.79 mL; 1 fluid ounce = 29.57 mL; 1 cup = 8 fluid ounces = 236.6 mL; 1 pint = 2 cups = 473.2 mL.

Frequently asked questions

How many mL in a cup?

1 US cup = 236.588 mL (≈ 237 mL for practical purposes).

What is 200 mL in cups?

200 mL ≈ 0.845 cups (about ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon).

Is 250 mL one cup?

Almost — 250 mL is about 1.06 US cups. For most recipes, treat it as 1 cup.