MALAYSIA has been ranked the third richest country in Southeast Asia and 71st globally, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s 2025 report, with a gross domestic product (GDP) per capita of US$14,423 (RM61,903).
This figure places Malaysia just shy of the global average of US$14,450 (RM62,018), underscoring its strong economic standing in the region.
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Leading the Southeast Asian rankings is Singapore, which boasts a per capita GDP of US$93,956 (RM403,256), making it the fourth wealthiest nation in the world—outpacing many developed economies.
Brunei follows in second place regionally, ranked 35th worldwide with US$37,023 (RM158,902) per capita.
Trailing Malaysia in the region are Thailand (US$7,754 / RM33,280) and Indonesia (US$5,248 / RM22,524), while several other ASEAN countries remain below the US$5,000 mark.
Malaysia’s income level also surpasses the Asia-Pacific average of US$9,179 (RM39,396) and the Southeast Asian average of US$6,141 (RM26,357), further cementing its status as a regional economic leader.
On the global stage, the IMF named Luxembourg (US$141,080), Switzerland (US$111,716), and Ireland (US$107,243) as the top three richest nations by GDP per capita.
Singapore remains the only Asian nation in the top 10.
Meanwhile, economic giants such as the UK, France, and Italy no longer make the top 20. China ranked 73rd with US$13,873, while India was listed far behind at 141st, with a per capita GDP of just US$2,937.
