Share of population below and above $30 per day in Malaysia

Malaysia: Share of population below and above $30 per day was 17.53 million people in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
17.53 million people
Change on year
down 2.7%
World rank
43rd
of 120 countries
All-time high
22.13 million people
in 2008
All-time low
13.39 million people
in 1984
Years of data
14
1984–2021

Share of population below and above $30 per day in Malaysia, 1984–2021

05.0M10.0M15.0M20.0M1984200220211984: 13.4M people1987: 14.8M people1989: 15.9M people1992: 16.8M people1995: 18.0M people1997: 17.8M people2003: 20.7M people2006: 21.5M people2008: 22.1M people2011: 21.1M people2013: 20.0M people2015: 19.1M people2018: 18.0M people2021: 17.5M people

Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.

Analysis

The most recent figure for share of population below and above $30 per day in Malaysia is 17.53 million people, measured in 2021.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.7% on the previous year and down 17.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of population below and above $30 per day in Malaysia peaked at 22.13 million people in 2008 and was at its lowest, 13.39 million people, in 1984.

Malaysia ranks 43rd of 120 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 14 years of available data.

Share of population below and above $30 per day in Malaysia, year by year

Annual values for Share of population below and above $30 per day in Malaysia, 1984 to 2021.
Year people Change
1984 13.39 million people
1987 14.84 million people +10.9%
1989 15.87 million people +7.0%
1992 16.77 million people +5.6%
1995 17.97 million people +7.2%
1997 17.76 million people -1.2%
2003 20.74 million people +16.7%
2006 21.53 million people +3.8%
2008 22.13 million people +2.8%
2011 21.13 million people -4.5%
2013 20.05 million people -5.1%
2015 19.12 million people -4.6%
2018 18.02 million people -5.8%
2021 17.53 million people -2.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 14.70 million people 13.39 million people 15.87 million people 3
1990s 17.50 million people 16.77 million people 17.97 million people 3
2000s 21.47 million people 20.74 million people 22.13 million people 3
2010s 19.58 million people 18.02 million people 21.13 million people 4
2020s 17.53 million people 17.53 million people 17.53 million people 1

Countries ranked near Malaysia

  1. 40 Zambia 20.11 million people compare
  2. 41 Malawi 19.17 million people compare
  3. 42 Kazakhstan 18.54 million people compare
  4. 44 Senegal 17.37 million people compare
  5. 45 Guatemala 16.89 million people compare
  6. 46 Ecuador 15.47 million people compare

See the full ranking of 120 places →

More population data for Malaysia

All data for Malaysia →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of population below and above $30 per day in Malaysia?
Share of population below and above $30 per day in Malaysia was 17.53 million people in 2021, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest share of population below and above $30 per day recorded in Malaysia?
The highest recorded value was 22.13 million people in 2008.
What is the lowest share of population below and above $30 per day recorded in Malaysia?
The lowest recorded value was 13.39 million people in 1984.
How does Malaysia rank for share of population below and above $30 per day?
Malaysia ranks 43rd out of 120 countries with data for 2021.
Is share of population below and above $30 per day rising or falling in Malaysia?
Over the last ten years it is down 17.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Malaysia data come from?
The figures come from World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population below and above $30 per day. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Share of population below and above $30 per day in Malaysia. Statizoid, drawing on World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/distribution-of-population-across-income-thresholds-stacked-bar-30-only/malaysia/

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About this data

Indicator
Share of population below and above $30 per day
Unit
people
Source
World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
120 places, 2,148 data points, 1963–2025
Last refreshed

Number of people living in households with an income or consumption below $30 per day.