Convert Liters to Milliliters
Liters to milliliters is the simplest conversion in the metric system: you just move the decimal point. One liter is exactly 1000 milliliters, so the number always gets bigger — by a factor of a thousand — when you go from L to mL.
Liters to Milliliters conversion table
| Liters (L) | Milliliters (mL) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1,000 |
| 2 | 2,000 |
| 3 | 3,000 |
| 5 | 5,000 |
| 10 | 10,000 |
| 20 | 20,000 |
| 50 | 50,000 |
| 100 | 100,000 |
| 500 | 500,000 |
| 1,000 | 1,000,000 |
The formula
To convert liters to milliliters, multiply the volume in liters by 1000:
milliliters = liters × 1000
A worked example
Say a recipe calls for 1.5 liters of stock and your measuring jug is marked in milliliters:
1.5 × 1000 = 1500 mL
So you'd fill to the 1500 mL line.
Why it's so clean
The metric system is built on powers of ten, so every step between liters and milliliters is just a shift of the decimal point three places. That's the whole appeal of metric — no odd factors like 16 or 231 to memorize, unlike the cups-and-gallons world.
When you'll use it
Following recipes that mix units, reading medicine or supplement doses written in mL, filling aquariums or water bottles, and lab or science work where small volumes are always in milliliters.
Frequently asked questions
How many milliliters are in a liter?
Exactly 1000 milliliters. The prefix 'milli' means one-thousandth, so a milliliter is one-thousandth of a liter and a liter holds a thousand of them. There's no approximation here — it's exact by definition.
Is a milliliter the same as a cubic centimeter?
Yes, exactly. One milliliter equals one cubic centimeter (1 mL = 1 cc), which is why medicine doses and engine sizes sometimes use 'cc' and 'mL' interchangeably.
Do I need to worry about US vs UK units here?
No. Liters and milliliters are both metric and identical everywhere. The US-versus-imperial confusion only shows up with gallons, cups, and pints, not with liters and milliliters.