Updated
Overview
Malaysia has about 75% more people than Kazakhstan: 35.98 million against 20.84 million (2025).
Malaysia's economy is about 55% larger than Kazakhstan's, at $472.19B versus $306.24B.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Malaysia | Kazakhstan | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $472.19B | $306.24B | 2025 | $421.97B / $288.41B |
| GDP per capita | $13,125 | Higher: $14,692 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 5.2% | Higher: 6.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 1.4% | 11.4% | 2025 | 1.8% / 8.8% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 3.8% | 4.8% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 32 | 33 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $698 | $673 | 2020 / 2022 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $328 | $181 | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $3.57 | — | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 35.98 million | 20.84 million | 2025 | 34.91 million / 20.43 million |
| Population growth | 1.2% | 1.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 31.0 yrs | 29.7 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.53 | 2.95 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 76.8 yrs | 74.5 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 77% | 62% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 98% | 93% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 330,803 km² | 2,724,900 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 108.8/km² | 7.6/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 290 Mt | Lower: 287 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 8.2 t | 13.9 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $4.31B | $1.21B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.0% | 0.4% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 136,000 | 71,000 | 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
Kazakhstan is growing faster: 6.5% annual GDP growth versus 5.2%.
Kazakhstan runs the hotter price environment: 11.4% inflation versus 1.4%.
Average monthly earnings favour Malaysia: $698 against $673 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Demographically the two are similar, with median ages of 31.0 (Malaysia) and 29.7 (Kazakhstan).
Life expectancy is 2.3 years longer in Malaysia (76.8 vs 74.5).
Malaysia is considerably more urbanized: 77% of people live in cities, against 62%.
Geography
By land area, Malaysia is 88% smaller than Kazakhstan: 330,803 km² versus 2,724,900 km².
Malaysia is far more densely settled: 109 people per km² against 8.
Military
Malaysia spends 3.6 times as much on defence as Kazakhstan: $4.31B versus $1.21B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Malaysia fields the larger armed forces: 136,000 personnel against 71,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Malaysia bigger than Kazakhstan?
- Kazakhstan is larger by land area. Malaysia covers 330,803 km² while Kazakhstan covers 2,724,900 km², so Kazakhstan is 8.2 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Malaysia or Kazakhstan?
- Malaysia has the larger population: 35.98 million versus 20.84 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Malaysia richer than Kazakhstan?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Kazakhstan is richer: $14,692 against $13,125. Total GDP tells a different story: $472.19B for Malaysia versus $306.24B for Kazakhstan.
- Who spends more on their military, Malaysia or Kazakhstan?
- Malaysia spends more: $4.31B versus $1.21B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).