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.

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.

This statistic depicts the distribution of expenditure of households earning between 7,000 and 8,000 Malaysian Ringgit per month across Malaysia in 2016, by category. In this year, households where the income amounted to between 7,000 and 8,000 Malaysian Ringgit per month spent around 29 percent of their income on food and non-alcoholic beverages.

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.

This statistic depicts the distribution of expenditure of households earning between 10,000 and 15,000 Malaysian Ringgit per month across Malaysia in 2016, by category. In this year, households where the income amounted to between 10,000 and 15,000 Malaysian Ringgit per month spent around 26 percent of their income on food and non-alcoholic beverages.

Malaysia Monthly Income: First Degree: RM1000 and below data was reported at 14.300 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 13.000 % for 2016. Malaysia Monthly Income: First Degree: RM1000 and below data is updated yearly, averaging 14.300 % from Dec 2007 (Median) to 2017, with 11 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 17.200 % in 2012 and a record low of 12.000 % in 2015. Malaysia Monthly Income: First Degree: RM1000 and below data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Malaysia – Table MY.G065: Monthly Income by Level of Study.

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.

Malaysia Monthly Income: Ph.d: RM4001 - RM5000 data was reported at 10.500 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 9.300 % for 2022. Malaysia Monthly Income: Ph.d: RM4001 - RM5000 data is updated yearly, averaging 10.550 % from Dec 2018 (Median) to 2023, with 6 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 12.700 % in 2018 and a record low of 8.100 % in 2020. Malaysia Monthly Income: Ph.d: RM4001 - RM5000 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Higher Education. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Malaysia – Table MY.G073: Monthly Income by Level of Study.

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.

In Malaysia, the income groups is divided into bottom 40 percent, middle 40 percent, and top 20 percent. In 2020, there were more than 2.78 million Malaysian households in each of the B40 and M40 income group, while 1.33 million belonged in the T20 income group.

Malaysia Monthly Income: Diploma: RM2501 - RM3000 data was reported at 2.600 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 2.800 % for 2016. Malaysia Monthly Income: Diploma: RM2501 - RM3000 data is updated yearly, averaging 1.600 % from Dec 2007 (Median) to 2017, with 11 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2.800 % in 2016 and a record low of 1.300 % in 2008. Malaysia Monthly Income: Diploma: RM2501 - RM3000 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Malaysia – Table MY.G065: Monthly Income by Level of Study.

In 2022, around 32.5 percent of Malaysians had monthly household income between two thousand to five thousand Malaysian ringgit. By comparison, around 11.5 percent of people in Malaysian had more than 15 thousand Malaysian ringgit of monthly household income. The current

Malaysia Monthly Income: Certificate: RM2001 - RM2500 data was reported at 2.800 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 1.800 % for 2016. Malaysia Monthly Income: Certificate: RM2001 - RM2500 data is updated yearly, averaging 1.650 % from Dec 2008 (Median) to 2017, with 10 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2.800 % in 2017 and a record low of 0.600 % in 2008. Malaysia Monthly Income: Certificate: RM2001 - RM2500 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Malaysia – Table MY.G065: Monthly Income by Level of Study.

The statistic shows the results of a survey about the ownership rate of credit cards in Malaysia in 2011, 2014 and 2018, sorted by by income level. In 2018, about 26 percent of the richest 60 percent claimed to hold a credit card, compared to around 14 percent of the poorest 40 percent of the population.

This statistic shows the results of a survey on the distribution of online shoppers in Malaysia in 2016, by monthly income level. During the survey period, around 33.9 percent of respondents were earning between 1,000 and 3,000 Malaysian ringgit per month.

This statistic depicts the distribution of expenditure of households earning between 2,000 and 3,000 Malaysian Ringgit per month across Malaysia in 2016, by category. In this year, households where the income amounted to between 2,000 and 3,000 Malaysian Ringgit per month spent around 37 percent of their income on food and non-alcoholic beverages.

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 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.

This statistic depicts the distribution of expenditure of households earning between 5,000 and 6,000 Malaysian Ringgit per month across Malaysia in 2016, by category. In this year, households where the income amounted to between 5,000 and 6,000 Malaysian Ringgit per month spent around 32 percent of their income on food and non-alcoholic beverages.

The statistic shows the results of a survey about the ownership rate of debit cards in Malaysia in 2011, 2014 and 2018, sorted by gender. During the survey period, about 80 percent of the richest 60 percent claimed to hold a debit card, compared to around 64 percent of the poorest 40 percent of the population.