In 2023, the average mean monthly salary in Malaysia was 3,441 Malaysian ringgit, a slight increase from 3,219 Malaysian ringgit in the previous year. The average monthly salary in Malaysia varies greatly, depending on the education level, the employment sector, and especially between urban and rural areas.

In 2023, Malaysian employees between the ages of 40 and 44 years old earned the highest average monthly salary, at 4,241 Malaysian ringgit. With a retirement age of just 60 years old, Malaysian workers could look forward to earning more monthly average wage starting from around 40 years old. Economic outlook Malaysia is one of the biggest and strongest economies of South-East Asia, with a relatively low unemployment rate. The average monthly salary steadily increased from 2,377 Malaysian ringgit in 2014 to 3,441 Malaysian ringgit in 2023. Employees with a university degree could expect to earn almost twice as much. Can wages keep up with the cost of living? However, when seen in the context of rising living costs, wages in Malaysia have not been able to keep up. Despite having a relatively low inflation rate, prices have still gone up. Malaysians spent more than 40 percent of their income on housing and food. In May 2022, the Malaysian government increased the minimum wage to 1,500 Malaysian ringgit monthly, or 7.21 Malaysian ringgit hourly, in the hopes of easing the financial burdens of its citizens.

Key information about Malaysia Household Income per Capita

• Malaysia Annual Household Income per Capita reached 5,731.680 USD in Dec 2022, compared with the previous value of 5,761.586 USD in Dec 2019.
• Malaysia Annual Household Income per Capita data is updated yearly, available from Dec 2002 to Dec 2022, with an averaged value of 4,426.922 USD.
• The data reached an all-time high of 5,761.586 USD in Dec 2019 and a record low of 2,100.510 USD in Dec 2002.
• In the latest reports, Retail Sales of Malaysia grew 12.890 % YoY in Apr 2023.

CEIC calculates Annnual Household Income per Capita from Monthly Average Household Income multiplied by 12, Number of Households and Total Population and converts it into USD. The Department of Statistics provides Average Household Income in local currency and Total Population based on 2020 Census. Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission provides Number of Households. Federal Reserve Board average market exchange rate is used for currency conversions. Population prior to 2020 is based on 2010 Census. Population prior to 2010 is based on 2000 Census. Annual Household Income per Capita prior to 2004 is calculated from Number of Household based on 2000 Census.

Key information about Malaysia Monthly Earnings

• Malaysia Monthly Earnings stood at 793 USD in Jan 2025, compared with the previous figure of 831 USD in Dec 2024
• Malaysia Monthly Earnings data is updated monthly, available from Jan 2013 to Jan 2025, with an average number of 793 USD
• The data reached the an all-time high of 927 USD in Mar 2018 and a record low of 684 USD in Sep 2015

CEIC calculates Monthly Earnings from monthly Payroll and monthly Employment, and converts it into USD. The Department of Statistics provides Payroll and Employment in local currency. Federal Reserve Board average market exchange rate is used for currency conversions. Monthly Earnings cover 251 industries in Manufacturing sector. Monthly Earnings prior to January 2019 cover 155 industries out of a total 259 industries in Manufacturing sector.


Further information about Malaysia Monthly Earnings

• In the latest reports, Malaysia Population reached 34 million people in Dec 2024
• Unemployment Rate of Malaysia dropped to 3 % in Jan 2025
• The country's Labour Force Participation Rate remained the same rate at 71 % in Jan 2025

In 2023, the average mean monthly salary for women in Malaysia was 3,311 Malaysian ringgit, an increase compared to the previous year. In the same year, the difference between the average monthly salary for female employees and male employees in Malaysia was around 200 Malaysian ringgit.

In 2022, the average monthly income of urban households was around 9.43 thousand Malaysian ringgit, an increase compared to around 8.64 thousand in the previous year. The mean monthly income of urban households in Malaysia had been increasing over the years.

Malaysia HIBAS: Monthly Gross Income: Median: Kedah data was reported at 3,811.000 MYR in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 3,451.000 MYR for 2014. Malaysia HIBAS: Monthly Gross Income: Median: Kedah data is updated yearly, averaging 1,681.500 MYR from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2016, with 10 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3,811.000 MYR in 2016 and a record low of 990.000 MYR in 1995. Malaysia HIBAS: Monthly Gross Income: Median: Kedah data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Department of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Malaysia – Table MY.H031: Household Income and Basic Amenities Survey: Monthly Gross Income: Median and Mean: by State.

Wages in Manufacturing in Malaysia decreased to 3540 MYR/Month in January from 3706 MYR/Month in December of 2024. This dataset provides - Malaysia Wages in Manufacturing - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Malaysia Household Income: Mean: Chinese data was reported at 8.750 MYR th in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 7.666 MYR th for 2014. Malaysia Household Income: Mean: Chinese data is updated yearly, averaging 3.173 MYR th from Dec 1970 (Median) to 2016, with 18 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8.750 MYR th in 2016 and a record low of 0.394 MYR th in 1970. Malaysia Household Income: Mean: Chinese data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Department of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Malaysia – Table MY.H024: Household Income: Mean (Annual).

Malaysia Household Income: Mean: Total data was reported at 8.479 MYR th in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 7.901 MYR th for 2019. Malaysia Household Income: Mean: Total data is updated yearly, averaging 2.539 MYR th from Dec 1970 (Median) to 2022, with 20 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8.479 MYR th in 2022 and a record low of 0.264 MYR th in 1970. Malaysia Household Income: Mean: Total data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Department of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Malaysia – Table MY.H038: Household Income: Mean (Annual). Starting 1989, data is based on Malaysian citizens.2. Data for 1970, 1974 & 1976 refer to Peninsular Malaysia only.

In 2023, Wilayah Persekutuan Putrajaya had the highest average monthly salary compared to other states in Malaysia, at 4,858 Malaysian ringgit. By comparison, Kedah had the lowest average monthly salary at 2,859 Malaysian ringgit.

Malaysia HIBAS: Monthly Gross Income: Mean: Top 20%: Kuala Lumpur data was reported at 26,306.000 MYR in 2016. Malaysia HIBAS: Monthly Gross Income: Mean: Top 20%: Kuala Lumpur data is updated yearly, averaging 26,306.000 MYR from Dec 2016 (Median) to 2016, with 1 observations. Malaysia HIBAS: Monthly Gross Income: Mean: Top 20%: Kuala Lumpur data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Department of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Malaysia – Table MY.H034: Household Income and Basic Amenities Survey: Monthly Gross Income: Household Group: Median and Mean: by State.

In 2022, the highest average monthly household income was in the Wilayah Persekutuan Putrajaya, with around 13.47 thousand Malaysian ringgit. Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, the capital city and also a federal territory, came second with around 13.33 thousand Malaysian ringgit in monthly average household income.

Malaysia HIBAS: Monthly Gross Income: Mean: Negeri Sembilan data was reported at 5,887.000 MYR in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 5,271.000 MYR for 2014. Malaysia HIBAS: Monthly Gross Income: Mean: Negeri Sembilan data is updated yearly, averaging 2,051.000 MYR from Dec 1970 (Median) to 2016, with 18 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5,887.000 MYR in 2016 and a record low of 286.000 MYR in 1970. Malaysia HIBAS: Monthly Gross Income: Mean: Negeri Sembilan data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Department of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Malaysia – Table MY.H031: Household Income and Basic Amenities Survey: Monthly Gross Income: Median and Mean: by State.

Malaysia HIBAS: Monthly Gross Income: Mean: Kedah data was reported at 4,971.000 MYR in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 4,478.000 MYR for 2014. Malaysia HIBAS: Monthly Gross Income: Mean: Kedah data is updated yearly, averaging 1,442.500 MYR from Dec 1970 (Median) to 2016, with 18 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4,971.000 MYR in 2016 and a record low of 189.000 MYR in 1970. Malaysia HIBAS: Monthly Gross Income: Mean: Kedah data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Department of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Malaysia – Table MY.H031: Household Income and Basic Amenities Survey: Monthly Gross Income: Median and Mean: by State.

Malaysia HIBAS: Monthly Gross Income: Mean: Sarawak data was reported at 5,387.000 MYR in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 4,934.000 MYR for 2014. Malaysia HIBAS: Monthly Gross Income: Mean: Sarawak data is updated yearly, averaging 2,259.000 MYR from Dec 1976 (Median) to 2016, with 16 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 5,387.000 MYR in 2016 and a record low of 426.000 MYR in 1976. Malaysia HIBAS: Monthly Gross Income: Mean: Sarawak data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Department of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Malaysia – Table MY.H031: Household Income and Basic Amenities Survey: Monthly Gross Income: Median and Mean: by State.

In 2022, ethnic Chinese households had the highest mean monthly household income in Malaysia, at around 10.66 thousand Malaysian ringgit. This was more than three thousand ringgit higher than Bumiputera households. Despite the implementation of affirmative action through Article 153 of the Malaysian constitution, the economic position of the Bumiputera vis-à-vis other ethnicities still left much room for improvement.

Historical policies, ethnicity, and the urban-rural divide The Bumiputera make up the majority of the Malaysian population, yet have one of the lowest average monthly household incomes in Malaysia. This economic disparity could be explained by the effects of colonial policies that kept the Bumiputera largely in the countryside. This resulted in an urban-rural divide that was characterized by ethnicity, with the immigrant Chinese and Indian laborers concentrated in the urban centers, a demographic pattern that is still evident today.

There was a considerable difference in urban and rural household incomes in Malaysia, with urban household income being around 3.6 thousand ringgit more than rural households. This was largely due to the fact that wages in urban areas had to keep up with the higher cost of living there. This thus impacted the average monthly incomes of the largely rural-based Bumiputera and the largely urban-based ethnic Chinese. This visible wealth inequality has led to racial tensions in Malaysia, and it is still one of the problem in the country amidst a new government led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who was elected in 2022.

Malaysia HIBAS: Monthly Gross Income: Mean: Rural: Middle 40%: Indians data was reported at 4,691.000 MYR in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 3,671.000 MYR for 2014. Malaysia HIBAS: Monthly Gross Income: Mean: Rural: Middle 40%: Indians data is updated yearly, averaging 4,181.000 MYR from Dec 2014 (Median) to 2016, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4,691.000 MYR in 2016 and a record low of 3,671.000 MYR in 2014. Malaysia HIBAS: Monthly Gross Income: Mean: Rural: Middle 40%: Indians data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Department of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Malaysia – Table MY.H033: Household Income and Basic Amenities Survey: Monthly Gross Income: Household Group: Median and Mean: by Ethnic Group.

This map shows the purchasing power per capita in Malaysia in 2022, in a multiscale map (Country, State, District, and Subdistrict). Nationally, the purchasing power per capita is 23,837 Malaysian ringgit. Purchasing Power describes the disposable income (income without taxes and social security contributions, including received transfer payments) of a certain area's population. The figures are in Malaysian ringgit (MYR) per capita.The pop-up is configured to show the following information at each geography level:Purchasing power per capitaPurchasing power for various goods and servicesThe source of this data is Michael Bauer Research. The vintage of the data is 2022. This item was last updated in November, 2022 and is updated every 12-18 months as new annual figures are offered.Additional Esri Resources:Esri DemographicsThis item is for visualization purposes only and cannot be exported or used in analysis.We would love to hear from you. If you have any feedback regarding this item or Esri Demographics, please let us know.Permitted use of this data is covered in the DATA section of the Esri Master Agreement (E204CW) and these supplemental terms.

Malaysia HIBAS: Monthly Gross Income: Mean: Urban: Middle 40%: Indians data was reported at 6,831.000 MYR in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 5,852.000 MYR for 2014. Malaysia HIBAS: Monthly Gross Income: Mean: Urban: Middle 40%: Indians data is updated yearly, averaging 6,341.500 MYR from Dec 2014 (Median) to 2016, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6,831.000 MYR in 2016 and a record low of 5,852.000 MYR in 2014. Malaysia HIBAS: Monthly Gross Income: Mean: Urban: Middle 40%: Indians data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Department of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Malaysia – Table MY.H033: Household Income and Basic Amenities Survey: Monthly Gross Income: Household Group: Median and Mean: by Ethnic Group.