Updated
Overview
Bangladesh has 4.9 times the population of Malaysia: 175.69 million people against 35.98 million (2025).
Their economies are close in size: $456.32B for Bangladesh and $472.19B for Malaysia.
Per person, Malaysia is the wealthier of the two: $13,125 against $2,597 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Bangladesh | Malaysia | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $456.32B | Higher: $472.19B | 2025 | $450.12B / $421.97B |
| GDP per capita | $2,597 | Higher: $13,125 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 3.5% | Higher: 5.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 8.8% | Lower: 1.4% | 2025 | 10.5% / 1.8% |
| Unemployment | 3.8% | Lower: 3.8% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 25 | 32 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $134 | Higher: $698 | 2024 / 2020 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $108 | Higher: $328 | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | — | $3.57 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 175.69 million | 35.98 million | 2025 | 174.37 million / 34.91 million |
| Population growth | 1.2% | 1.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 26.0 yrs | 31.0 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 2.11 | 1.53 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 74.9 yrs | Higher: 76.8 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 33% | 77% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 53% | Higher: 98% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 147,570 km² | 330,803 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 1190.5/km² | 108.8/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | Lower: 108 Mt | 290 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 0.6 t | 8.2 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $4.03B | $4.31B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 0.9% | 1.0% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 227,000 | 136,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Malaysia is growing faster: 5.2% annual GDP growth versus 3.5%.
Bangladesh runs the hotter price environment: 8.8% inflation versus 1.4%.
Average monthly earnings favour Malaysia: $698 against $134 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Bangladesh is the younger society: median age 26.0 versus 31.0 years.
Life expectancy is 1.9 years longer in Malaysia (76.8 vs 74.9).
Malaysia is considerably more urbanized: 77% of people live in cities, against 33%.
Internet adoption is higher in Malaysia (98% vs 53% of the population).
Geography
By land area, Bangladesh is 55% smaller than Malaysia: 147,570 km² versus 330,803 km².
Bangladesh is far more densely settled: 1191 people per km² against 109.
Military
Defence budgets are of similar magnitude: $4.03B (Bangladesh) and $4.31B (Malaysia).
Bangladesh fields the larger armed forces: 227,000 personnel against 136,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Bangladesh bigger than Malaysia?
- Malaysia is larger by land area. Bangladesh covers 147,570 km² while Malaysia covers 330,803 km², so Malaysia is 2.2 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Bangladesh or Malaysia?
- Bangladesh has the larger population: 175.69 million versus 35.98 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Bangladesh richer than Malaysia?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Malaysia is richer: $13,125 against $2,597. Total GDP tells the same story: $456.32B for Bangladesh versus $472.19B for Malaysia.
- Who spends more on their military, Bangladesh or Malaysia?
- Malaysia spends more: $4.31B versus $4.03B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).