Photo: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 14 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Malaysia: Poverty & Inequality
How is a country’s income shared, and how many live below a line?
Malaysia is placed 41st of 159 countries on poverty & inequality in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics. Readings behind it: Gini Index 40.67 (2023); Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day 0.001 (2023).
Share
Poverty & Inequality
41st
of 159 countries placed
Placed from 3 of 3 key statistics
01The evidence
The 3 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Malaysia on poverty & inequality — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used — or, for a survey-based key, each country’s latest reading; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 3
Gini Index
World Bank Group
Latest reading per country, 2013–2023 · Malaysia’s is from 2021 · CC BY 4.0
40.67
Gini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality)
Lower is better
Malaysia: 40.67. Across the 159 countries at their latest reading, values run from 23 (India) to 59.07 (Namibia); the world median is 33.72.
- World median
- 33.72
- Best in South-eastern Asia
- 28.65 Timor-Leste
- Land neighbours
- Indonesia 36.06 · Thailand 33.49
Key 2 of 3
Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day
World Bank Group
Latest reading per country, 2013–2023 · Malaysia’s is from 2021 · CC BY 4.0
0.001
Poverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%)
Lower is better
Malaysia: 0.001. Across the 159 countries at their latest reading, values run from 0 (Czechia) to 48.69 (DR Congo); the world median is 0.345.
- World median
- 0.345
- Best in South-eastern Asia
- 0.001 Thailand
- Land neighbours
- Indonesia 1.12 · Thailand 0.001
Key 3 of 3
Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0
1.4
Share of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%)
Lower is better
Malaysia: 1.4. Across the 145 countries in this edition, values run from 0.6 (Belarus) to 93.9 (South Sudan); the world median is 26.4.
- World median
- 26.4
- Best in South-eastern Asia
- 1.4 Malaysia
- Land neighbours
- Indonesia 68.6
02Over time
Which way Malaysia is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Gini Index
Gini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality) · lower is better
MalaysiaWorld median
Malaysia fell from 46.42 in 2003 to 40.67 in 2021; the world median went from 35.46 to 34.03.
Every year’s figures
Year Malaysia World median 2023 — 33.72 2022 — 33.91 2021 40.7 34.04 2020 — 34.18 2019 — 33.51 2018 41.2 35.25 2017 — 34.86 2016 — 34.47 2015 41.1 35.52 2014 — 34.79 2013 41.4 36.16 2012 — 35.40 2011 43.6 33.96 2010 — 33.71 2009 — 34.91 2008 45.5 34.60 2007 — 34.26 2006 44.8 35.63 2005 — 36.28 2004 — 34.29 2003 46.4 35.46 2002 — 37.14 Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day
Poverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%) · lower is better
MalaysiaWorld median
Malaysia fell from 0.68 in 2003 to 0.001 in 2021; the world median went from 1.65 to 0.335.
Every year’s figures
Year Malaysia World median 2023 — 0.345 2022 — 0.420 2021 0.00 0.335 2020 — 0.280 2019 — 0.380 2018 0.01 0.460 2017 — 0.300 2016 — 0.440 2015 0.01 0.500 2014 — 0.635 2013 0.02 0.515 2012 — 0.640 2011 0.06 0.430 2010 — 0.530 2009 — 0.600 2008 0.30 0.350 2007 — 0.360 2006 0.35 0.465 2005 — 1.250 2004 — 0.790 2003 0.68 1.650 2002 — 3.010 Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet
Share of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%) · lower is better
MalaysiaWorld median
Malaysia fell from 4.4 in 2017 to 1.4 in 2025; the world median went from 32.4 to 26.4.
Every year’s figures
Year Malaysia World median 2025 1.4 26.40 2024 1.6 27.10 2023 1.9 27.15 2022 2.1 27.90 2021 3.1 29.65 2020 3.6 31.80 2019 3.0 29.05 2018 3.8 29.85 2017 4.4 32.40
03In context
Malaysia beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 159 countries on poverty & inequality, never a place within the region.
Malaysia and the countries it borders
Standing among all 159; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Gini IndexGini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality) | Poverty Gap at $3.00 a DayPoverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%) | Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy DietShare of the population unable to afford a healthy diet (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Thailand | 27th | 33.49 | 0.0006 | — |
| Malaysia | 41st | 40.67 | 0.0007 | 1.4 |
 Indonesiacompare | 114th | 36.06 | 1.1200 | 68.6 |
 Brunei | not placed | — | — | — |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across South-eastern Asia
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 159.
Placed either side on poverty & inequality
The countries immediately above and below Malaysia in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Malaysia is ahead of the world, and behind
14 more statistics filed under poverty & inequality, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median11
Statistics on which Malaysia does better than the middle country measured.
Poverty Headcount at $3.00 a Day, Line-up EstimatesWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 2.102.1▲ Improved since 2014
Malaysia: 0 · world median 2.1 · Population below $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP, World Bank line-up estimate (%). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 89.54; lower is better.
Multidimensional Poverty MeasureWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 4.2520.3114.252No earlier reading
Malaysia: 0.311 · world median 4.252 · Multidimensional poverty headcount ratio (%). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 87.96; lower is better.
Position 144th of 157 · derived, 1st = worst.
Working Poverty RateILO · 2025 · world median 4.8850.14.885▼ Worsened since 2015
Malaysia: 0.1 · world median 4.885 · Employed people living in extreme poverty (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.007 to 86.02; lower is better.
Coefficient of Variation of Habitual Caloric ConsumptionFAO · 2024 · world median 0.250.210.25▲ Improved since 2014
Malaysia: 0.21 · world median 0.25 · Coefficient of variation of habitual calorie consumption across the population (standard deviation ÷ mean). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.17 to 0.4; lower is better.
Income Growth of the Poorest 40%World Bank Group · 2024 · world median 1.8413.2211.841▼ Worsened since 2019
Malaysia: 3.221 · world median 1.841 · Annualized growth in real income or consumption per person of the bottom 40% (%). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from -4.185 to 14.51; higher is better.
Actual Individual Consumption per Capita (PPP)World Bank Group · 2021 · world median 12,80021,12212,800▲ Improved since 2017
Malaysia: 21,122 · world median 12,800 · Actual individual consumption per capita (PPP, current international $). World Bank Group, 2021 edition, data for 2021.
Published values in that edition run from 688.7 to 52,654; higher is better.
Position 54th of 173 · derived.
Inequality-adjusted Human Development IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.6090.7070.609No real change since 2013
Malaysia: 0.707 · world median 0.609 · IHDI (0–1). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.226 to 0.923; higher is better.
Position 61st of 169 · derived.
Coefficient of Human InequalityUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 17.0513.2917.05No real change since 2013
Malaysia: 13.29 · world median 17.05 · Coefficient of Human Inequality (%). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 4.865 to 43.08; lower is better.
Position 107th of 169 · derived, 1st = worst.
Intergenerational Persistence in EducationWorld Bank Group · 2017 · world median 0.4460.410.446No earlier reading
Malaysia: 0.41 · world median 0.446 · Correlation between own and parents' years of schooling, born 1980–89 (0–1). World Bank Group, 2017 edition, data for 2017.
Published values in that edition run from 0.123 to 0.66; lower is better.
Position 96th of 153 · derived, 1st = worst.
Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food InsecurityFAO · 2024 · world median 20.915.420.9▲ Improved since 2015
Malaysia: 15.4 · world median 20.9 · Population in moderate or severe food insecurity (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1 to 88.8; lower is better.
Position 78th of 135 · derived, 1st = worst.
Exclusion by Socio-Economic GroupV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2023 · world median 0.4130.3730.413▲ Improved since 2013
Malaysia: 0.373 · world median 0.413 · Exclusion by socio-economic group index (0–1; higher = more exclusion). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.014 to 0.969; lower is better.
Position 90th of 174 · derived, 1st = worst.
Behind the world median1
Statistics on which Malaysia does worse than the middle country measured.
Adequacy of Social Protection and Labour BenefitsWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 18.657.69518.65No earlier reading
Malaysia: 7.695 · world median 18.65 · Benefits received as a share of beneficiaries' total income or consumption (%). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.455 to 90.86; higher is better.
No better end2
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Cost of a Healthy DietFAO · 2025 · world median 4.554.424.55Moved since 2017
Malaysia: 4.42 · world median 4.55 · Cost of the cheapest locally available healthy diet, PPP dollars per person per day. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 2.66 to 8.27.
Poverty Headcount at National Poverty LinesWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 21.85.121.8No earlier reading
Malaysia: 5.1 · world median 21.8 · Population below the national poverty line (%). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 82.3.
No current reading for Malaysia
Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Health Spending, Gini Index (last 2021), Gini Index of Disposable Income (SWIID) (last 2022), Gini Index of Monthly Earnings, Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, Income Share Held by Lowest 20% (last 2021), Income Share Held by Richest 10% (last 2021), Low Pay Rate (last 2015), Median Daily Income or Consumption per Person (last 2021), Palma Ratio (last 2021), Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day (last 2021), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.00 a Day (last 2021), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $4.20 a Day (last 2021), Poverty Headcount Ratio at $8.30 a Day (last 2021), Poverty Severity (Squared Poverty Gap) at $3.00 a Day (last 2021), Prosperity Gap (last 2021), Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 Months, Societal Poverty Rate (last 2021) and Wealth Parity Index, Lower Secondary Completion. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Poverty & Inequality among Malaysia’s 15 topics
Poverty & Inequality is Malaysia’s 5th best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Mobility & Trade6th of 1774/4 keys
- Governance & Institutions40th of 1944/4 keys
- Digital & Technology41st of 1984/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation40th of 1764/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequality41st of 1593/3 keys
- Work & Labour63rd of 1824/4 keys
- Peace & Security62nd of 1774/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital91st of 1963/3 keys
- Food & Agriculturejoint 86th of 1844/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties95th of 1984/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience95th of 1934/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing99th of 2004/4 keys
- Education & Knowledgejoint 131st of 1984/4 keys
- Gender & Equalityjoint 131st of 1834/4 keys
- Environment & Sustainabilityjoint 158th of 1864/4 keys
No standing on Energy: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on poverty & inequality
The three countries placed highest of 159, and the leaders Malaysia can most readily be measured against.
1
BelarusEastern Europe
1st of 159 · 3 of 3 keys
Photo: zedlik , cropped by Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2
SloveniaSouthern Europe
2nd of 159 · 3 of 3 keys
Photo: Z.K. derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY 3.0, greyscale
=3
UkraineEastern Europe
Joint 3rd of 159 · 2 of 3 keys
Photo: uploaded by Chern038 · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Asia
United Arab Emirates=3rd3/3 keysHighest in South-eastern Asia
Thailand27th2/3 keysThis page
Malaysia41st3/3 keys
Positions out of 159 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Questions
Malaysia on poverty & inequality: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Malaysia rank on poverty & inequality?
Malaysia is placed 41st of 159 countries on Poverty & Inequality in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics (Gini Index, Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day and Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Gini Index figure for Malaysia?
40.67 in 2023 (gini index (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 33.72.
What is the latest Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day figure for Malaysia?
0.001 in 2023 (poverty gap at $3.00 a day, 2021 PPP (%)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 0.345.
How does Malaysia compare with Indonesia on poverty & inequality?
Indonesia is placed 114th of 159, and Malaysia 41st. Gini Index: Indonesia 36.06, Malaysia 40.67; Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day: Indonesia 1.12, Malaysia 0.001; Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet: Indonesia 68.6, Malaysia 1.4.
How have Malaysia’s poverty & inequality figures changed?
Gini Index fell from 46.42 in 2003 to 40.67 in 2021; Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day fell from 0.68 in 2003 to 0.001 in 2021; Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet fell from 4.4 in 2017 to 1.4 in 2025.
Which poverty & inequality statistics are missing for Malaysia?
No current reading is published for Malaysia on Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Health Spending, Gini Index, Gini Index of Disposable Income (SWIID), Gini Index of Monthly Earnings, Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, Income Share Held by Lowest 20%, Income Share Held by Richest 10%, Low Pay Rate, Median Daily Income or Consumption per Person, Palma Ratio, Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $3.00 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $4.20 a Day, Poverty Headcount Ratio at $8.30 a Day, Poverty Severity (Squared Poverty Gap) at $3.00 a Day, Prosperity Gap, Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 Months, Societal Poverty Rate and Wealth Parity Index, Lower Secondary Completion. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
08Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
These figures come from household surveys, which most countries run every few years rather than every year. So the subject's standing is read from each country's most recent survey of the last decade, with the year of every reading shown, rather than from one year in which only a minority of countries were surveyed. Two readings decide it — how unequally income is shared and how deep extreme poverty runs — because the other poverty and inequality measures here largely repeat one of those two or repeat average income, which already counts under Economy and Development. Countries with no survey in the last decade have no standing here. What work pays is under Work & Labour; wealth, as opposed to income, has no global source this site is permitted to republish.
How the Poverty & Inequality standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 3 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 3 keys to be placed.
The poverty & inequality method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Gini Index — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Poverty Gap at $3.00 a Day — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet — Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), CC BY 4.0
The other 14 statistics on this page come from 5 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Malaysia’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Malaysia (banner) — Bjørn Christian Tørrissen, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Belarus — zedlik , cropped by Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Slovenia — Z.K. derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY 3.0
- Ukraine — uploaded by Chern038, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Malaysia: Poverty & Inequality — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/malaysia/poverty