How this calculator works
Volume measures three-dimensional space. The SI unit is the cubic metre, and the litre, one cubic decimetre, is accepted for use with it. US liquid measures are defined from the US gallon of exactly 231 cubic inches, and imperial measures from the imperial gallon of exactly 4.54609 litres. Those two gallon systems are not interchangeable: an imperial gallon is about 20 per cent larger than a US gallon. Cooking spoons and cups on this page are US customary, not the rounded metric spoons or the US legal cup used on nutrition labels.
Formula
base = value x F(unit), where F is the volume in cubic metres. 1 L = 0.001 m3. 1 US gallon = 0.003785411784 m3 = 3.785411784 L. 1 imperial gallon = 0.00454609 m3 = 4.54609 L. 1 US quart = 1/4 US gallon, 1 US pint = 1/8 US gallon and 1 US fluid ounce = 1/128 US gallon. 1 US cup = 8 US fl oz, 1 tbsp = 1/2 US fl oz and 1 tsp = 1/6 US fl oz.
Worked example
1 L is 1,000 mL, 100 cL, 0.001 m3, 0.264172 US gal, 0.219969 imperial gal, 1.05669 US qt, 2.11338 US pt, 33.8140 US fl oz and 4.22675 US cups. 1 m3 is 1,000 L. 1 US gallon is 3.78541 L and 1 imperial gallon is 4.54609 L.
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Frequently asked questions
Is a US gallon the same as an imperial gallon?
No. The US gallon is 3.785411784 L and the imperial gallon is 4.54609 L, so the imperial gallon is about 20 per cent larger. A UK pint of 568.26 mL is similarly larger than a US pint of 473.18 mL.
Which cup does the cooking section use?
The US customary cup of 236.588 mL, which is 8 US fluid ounces. A metric cup is 250 mL and the US legal cup used on food labels is 240 mL, so recipes can differ by a few per cent.
Is a cubic centimetre the same as a millilitre?
For practical purposes yes. One millilitre is one cubic centimetre by definition of the litre, and the tiny historical difference from the pre-1964 litre no longer exists.
What is a dry quart or dry pint?
Some agricultural measures use a dry gallon based on a different definition. This page does not include dry measures; all gallons, quarts and pints here are liquid measures.