Updated
Overview
Spain has about 35% more people than Malaysia: 49.36 million against 35.98 million (2025).
Spain's economy is 4.0 times the size of Malaysia's, at $1.91T versus $472.19B.
Per person, Spain is the wealthier of the two: $38,627 against $13,125 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Spain | Malaysia | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $1.91T | $472.19B | 2025 | $1.72T / $421.97B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $38,627 | $13,125 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 2.8% | Higher: 5.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 2.7% | Lower: 1.4% | 2025 | 2.8% / 1.8% |
| Unemployment | 10.4% | Lower: 3.8% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 65 | 32 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $3,574 | $698 | 2025 / 2020 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $1,561 | $328 | 2025 / 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | — | $3.57 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 49.36 million | 35.98 million | 2025 | 47.28 million / 34.91 million |
| Population growth | 1.0% | 1.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 45.9 yrs | 31.0 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.23 | 1.53 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 83.9 yrs | 76.8 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 81% | 77% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 96% | Higher: 98% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 505,992 km² | 330,803 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 97.5/km² | 108.8/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | Lower: 220 Mt | 290 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 4.6 t | 8.2 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $24.62B | $4.31B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.4% | 1.0% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 199,000 | 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 2.8%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 2.7% in Spain and 1.4% in Malaysia.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Malaysia: a price level of 32 versus 65 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Spain: $3,574 against $698 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Malaysia is the far younger society: median age 31.0 versus 45.9 years.
Life expectancy is 7.1 years longer in Spain (83.9 vs 76.8).
Geography
By land area, Spain is 53% larger than Malaysia: 505,992 km² versus 330,803 km².
Military
Spain spends 5.7 times as much on defence as Malaysia: $24.62B versus $4.31B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Spain fields the larger armed forces: 199,000 personnel against 136,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Spain bigger than Malaysia?
- Spain is larger by land area. Spain covers 505,992 km² while Malaysia covers 330,803 km², so Spain is 53% larger than the other.
- Which has more people, Spain or Malaysia?
- Spain has the larger population: 49.36 million versus 35.98 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Spain richer than Malaysia?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Spain is richer: $38,627 against $13,125. Total GDP tells the same story: $1.91T for Spain versus $472.19B for Malaysia.
- Who spends more on their military, Spain or Malaysia?
- Spain spends more: $24.62B versus $4.31B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).