Average Salary in Malaysia 2026
Currency: MYR · Updated for 2026
How much money does a person working in Malaysia make?
Average Monthly Salary
4,592 MYR
( 55,103 MYR yearly )
~ 977 USD per month ( 11,724 USD yearly )
LOW
1,377 MYR
293 USD
AVERAGE
4,592 MYR
977 USD
HIGH
13,776 MYR
2,931 USD
A person working in Malaysia typically earns around 4,592 MYR per month. Salaries range from 1,377 MYR (lowest average) to 13,776 MYR (highest average, actual maximum salary is higher).
This is the average monthly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Salaries vary drastically between different careers. If you are interested in the salary of a particular job, see below for salaries for specific job titles.
Distribution of Salaries in Malaysia
Median and salary distribution monthly Malaysia
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What is the difference between the median and the average salary?
Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both 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 plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated.
The median (4,131 MYR) represents the middle salary value — 50% earn more and 50% earn less. The average (4,592 MYR) is the sum of all salaries divided by the number of workers, and can be skewed by extremely high or low salaries.
Salary Comparison by Years of Experience
How does a person's salary progress over time?
- 0–2 Years (Entry Level)27,551 MYR
- 2–5 Years (Junior)35,819 MYR
- 5–10 Years (Mid-Career)46,836 MYR
- 10–15 Years (Experienced)55,103 MYR
- 15+ Years (Senior)66,124 MYR
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The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally the more years of experience the higher the wage.
Generally speaking, employees having experience from two to five years earn on average +30% more than freshers and juniors across all industries and disciplines.
Professionals with experience of more than five years tend to earn on average +31% more than those with five years or less of work experience.
As you hit the ten years mark, the salary increases by +18% and an additional +20% for those who have crossed the 15 years mark.
“On average, a person's salary doubles their starting salary by the time they cross the 10 years experience mark.”
Salary Comparison By Education
How does the education level affect your salary?
- High School33,060 MYR
- Certificate38,573 MYR
- Associate44,081 MYR
- Bachelor's55,103 MYR
- Master's66,124 MYR
- PhD77,146 MYR
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High School → Certificate
+17%
Certificate → Bachelor's
+43%
Bachelor's → Master's
+20%
Master's → PhD
+17%
It is well known that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We compared the salaries of professionals at the same level but with different college degrees levels across many jobs, below are our findings.
Workers with a certificate or diploma earn on average +17% more than their peers who only reached the high school level.
Employees who earned a Bachelor's Degree earn +43% more than those who only managed to attain a certificate or diploma.
Professionals who attained a Master's Degree are awarded salaries that are +20% more than those with a Bachelor's Degree.
Finally, PhD holders earn +17% more than Master's Degree holders on average.
Salary Comparison By Gender
Salary comparison by gender monthly Malaysia
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Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? Male employees in Malaysia earn 11% more than their female counterparts on average across all sectors.
Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage in Malaysia
How much are annual salary increments? How often do employees get salary raises?
9%
Average Raise
18 months
Review Frequency
6%
Annualized Increase
Employees in Malaysia are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 9% every 18 months.
The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 ÷ Increase Frequency
The average salary increase in one year (12 months) in Malaysia is 6%.
Bonus and Incentive Rates in Malaysia
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
46%
Received Bonus
54%
No Bonus
46% of surveyed staff in Malaysia reported receiving at least one form of monetary bonus.
Average Bonus Rate
5%
of annual salary
Types of Bonuses Considered:
• Individual Performance-Based Bonuses
• Company Performance Bonuses
• Goal-Based Bonuses
• Holiday / End of Year Bonuses
Top 5 Highest Paying Industries
Annual average salaries
- Legal74,387 MYR
- Aviation71,633 MYR
- Information Technology71,633 MYR
- Banking68,879 MYR
- Pharmaceuticals68,879 MYR
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Salaries for Popular Jobs
Sample job titles and their average salaries
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Surgeon | 137,757 MYR | 11,482 MYR |
| Pilot | 110,206 MYR | 9,184 MYR |
| Software Developer | 99,184 MYR | 8,267 MYR |
| Data Scientist | 93,676 MYR | 7,807 MYR |
| Financial Manager | 88,163 MYR | 7,346 MYR |
| Database Administrator | 82,654 MYR | 6,890 MYR |
| Engineer | 77,146 MYR | 6,430 MYR |
| Marketing Manager | 71,633 MYR | 5,969 MYR |
| Project Manager | 68,879 MYR | 5,739 MYR |
| Accountant | 60,611 MYR | 5,053 MYR |
| Hotel Manager | 55,103 MYR | 4,592 MYR |
| Nurse | 49,594 MYR | 4,131 MYR |
| Graphic Designer | 46,836 MYR | 3,901 MYR |
| Chef | 41,327 MYR | 3,445 MYR |
| Teacher | 38,573 MYR | 3,215 MYR |
Salary Comparison By City
Average annual salaries by city
| City | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Kuala Lumpur | 63,370 MYR |
| George Town | 57,857 MYR |
| Johor Bahru | 57,857 MYR |
| Ipoh | 57,857 MYR |
| Shah Alam | 57,857 MYR |
Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison
Where can you get paid more?
4,362 MYR
Private Sector
4,822 MYR
Public Sector
+11%
Public sector employees in Malaysia earn 11% more than their private sector counterparts on average across all sectors.
Average Hourly Wage in Malaysia
28 MYR
per hour
The average hourly wage (pay per hour) in Malaysia is 28 MYR. This means that the average person in Malaysia earns approximately 28 MYR for every worked hour. Hourly Wage = Annual Salary ÷ (52 × 5 × 8)
Cost of Living in Malaysia
Estimated monthly expenses
Rent
390 MYR
/month
Food
127 MYR
/month
Transport
47 MYR
/month
Utilities
61 MYR
/month
Compare Your Salary
See how your salary compares with the average in Malaysia and explore top-paying jobs.