Updated
Overview
Malaysia has 3.3 times the population of Portugal: 35.98 million people against 10.80 million (2025).
Malaysia's economy is about 35% larger than Portugal's, at $472.19B versus $346.64B.
Per person, Portugal is the wealthier of the two: $32,082 against $13,125 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Malaysia | Portugal | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $472.19B | $346.64B | 2025 | $421.97B / $308.68B |
| GDP per capita | $13,125 | Higher: $32,082 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 5.2% | 1.9% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 1.4% | 2.3% | 2025 | 1.8% / 2.4% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 3.8% | 6.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 32 | 60 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $698 | Higher: $1,426 | 2020 / 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $328 | Higher: $1,147 | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $3.57 | — | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 35.98 million | 10.80 million | 2025 | 34.91 million / 10.19 million |
| Population growth | 1.2% | 1.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 31.0 yrs | 46.9 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.53 | 1.52 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 76.8 yrs | Higher: 82.4 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 77% | 61% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 98% | 88% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 330,803 km² | 92,090 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 108.8/km² | 117.3/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 290 Mt | Lower: 36 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 8.2 t | Lower: 3.4 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $4.31B | $4.64B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.0% | 1.5% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 136,000 | 52,000 | 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 much faster: 5.2% annual GDP growth versus 1.9%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 1.4% in Malaysia and 2.3% in Portugal.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Malaysia: a price level of 32 versus 60 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Portugal: $1,426 against $698 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Malaysia is the far younger society: median age 31.0 versus 46.9 years.
Life expectancy is 5.6 years longer in Portugal (82.4 vs 76.8).
Malaysia is considerably more urbanized: 77% of people live in cities, against 61%.
Geography
By land area, Malaysia is 3.6 times the size of Portugal: 330,803 km² versus 92,090 km².
Military
Defence budgets are of similar magnitude: $4.31B (Malaysia) and $4.64B (Portugal).
Malaysia fields the larger armed forces: 136,000 personnel against 52,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Malaysia bigger than Portugal?
- Malaysia is larger by land area. Malaysia covers 330,803 km² while Portugal covers 92,090 km², so Malaysia is 3.6 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Malaysia or Portugal?
- Malaysia has the larger population: 35.98 million versus 10.80 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Malaysia richer than Portugal?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Portugal is richer: $32,082 against $13,125. Total GDP tells a different story: $472.19B for Malaysia versus $346.64B for Portugal.
- Who spends more on their military, Malaysia or Portugal?
- Portugal spends more: $4.64B versus $4.31B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).