Average Salary in Malaysia 2018
How much money does a person working in Malaysia make?
7,380 MYR per month Average Monthly Salary
A person working in Malaysia typically earns around 7,380 MYR per month.
This is the average monthly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits.
Salaries differ drasticly between different jobs. If you are interested in the salary of a particular job, see below for salaries for specific job titles.
Distribution of Salaries in Malaysia | All Jobs
25% of people earn
3,230 MYR
or less
3,230 MYR
or less
50% of people earn
5,000 MYR
or less
5,000 MYR
or less
75% of people earn
8,348 MYR
or less
8,348 MYR
or less
 800 MYR |
5,000 MYR |
83,333 MYR |
Abount These Figures: Salary Range, Median and Percentiles
Salaries in Malaysia range between 800 MYR per month (minimum salary) to 83,333 MYR per month (maximum salary).The median salary is 5,000 MYR per month, which means that half (50%) of the population are earning less than 5,000 MYR while the other half are earning more than 5,000 MYR. The median represents the middle salary value. Generally speaking, you would want to be on the right side of the graph with the group earning more than the median salary.
Closely related to the median are two values: the 25th and the 75th percentiles. Reading from the salary distribution diagram, 25% of the population are earning less than 3,230 MYR while 75% of them are earning more than 3,230 MYR. Also from the diagram, 75% of the population are earning less than 8,348 MYR while 25% are earning more than 8,348 MYR.
What is the difference between the median and the average salary? What should you be looking at?
Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both of the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people are earning more than you and there is plently of room for improvement. If your wage is in between the average and median, then things can be a bit confusing. We have written a guide to explain all the different senarios. How to compare your salarySalaries for specific job categories
Choose your job category from below to explore specific salary details
Accounting and FinanceAdministration / Reception / SecretarialAdvertising / Grapic Design / EventsAirlines / Aviation / Aerospace / DefenseArchitectureAutomotiveBankingBusiness PlanningConstruction / Building / InstallationCustomer Service and Call CenterElectrical and Electronics TradesEngineeringEnvironmentalExecutive and ManagementFacilities / Maintenance / RepairFactory and ManufacturingFood /Hospitality / Tourism / CateringHealth and MedicalHuman ResourcesInformation TechnologyInsuranceLegalMarketingMedia / Broadcasting / Arts / EntertainmentOil / Gas / Energy / MiningPharmaceutical and BiotechnologyPublic RelationsPublishing and PrintingPurchasing and InventoryQuality Control and ComplianceReal EstateSales Retail and WholesaleScience and Technical ServicesTeaching / EducationTelecommunicationSalary Trend and Forecast in Malaysia
How are Malaysia salaries changing over time? Listed below is a chart that shows the average salary over the past few years.
| Average Salary 2015 | = | 6,914 MYR |
| Average Salary 2016 |  +2% | 7,052 MYR |
| Average Salary 2017 | +3% | 7,249 MYR |
| Average Salary 2018 | +2% | 7,380 MYR |
Percentage increase and decrease are relative to the previous value
Salaries in Malaysia are on the rise in the year 2018 based on recent submitted salaries and reports. As displayed in the chart, salaries in 2018 are 2% higher than those of 2017. The trend suggests a slow yet continous increase in pay in 2019 and future years. These numbers differ slightly from industry to another.Average Hourly Wage in Malaysia | All Jobs
38 MYR per hour Average Hourly Wage
The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in Malaysia | All Jobs is 38 MYR. This means that the average person in Malaysia earns approximatly 38 MYR for every worked hour.
Hourly Wage = Annual Salary ÷ ( 52 x 5 x 8 )
The hourly wage is the salary paid in one working hour. Usually jobs are classified into two categories: salaried jobs and hourly jobs. Salaried jobs pay a fix amount regardless of the hours worked. Hourly jobs pay per worked hour. To convert salary into hourly wage the above formula is used (assuming 5 working days in a week and 8 working hours per day which is the standard for most jobs). The hourly wage calculation may differ slightly depending on the worked hours per week and annual vacation allowance. The figures mentioned above are good approximation and they are considered to the be the standard.
Salary Comparison By City
| City | Average Salary |
| Ampang | 4,106 MYR |
| Ipoh | 5,463 MYR |
| Johor Bahru | 5,919 MYR |
| Klang | 5,462 MYR |
| Kota Kinabalu | 4,615 MYR |
| Kuala Lumpur | 8,692 MYR |
| Kuching | 4,890 MYR |
| Petaling Jaya | 5,975 MYR |
| Shah Alam | 5,800 MYR |
| Subang Jaya | 5,831 MYR |
