---
title: "More Than 70% Of M’sians Earn Less Than RM5K A Month, Data Shows"
url: https://weirdkaya.com/more-than-70-of-msians-earn-less-than-rm5k-a-month-data-shows/
date: 2026-06-10
modified: 2026-06-10
lang: en
author: "Yu Ang Tan"
description: "With the cost of living still being a major concern for many Malaysians, newly highlighted data has shown that a large number of workers in the country are still earning..."
categories:
  - "Society"
tags:
  - "#Trending"
  - "70% M'sians"
  - "Malaysia"
  - "RM5k A Month"
image: https://cdn.weirdkaya.com/media/202606-wk-More-Than-70-Of-Msians-Earn-Less-Than-RM5K-A-Month-Data-Shows-2660.jpg
word_count: 401
---

# More Than 70% Of M’sians Earn Less Than RM5K A Month, Data Shows

## TL: DR

- **Bank Muamalat Malaysia Berhad:** Chief economist Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid states 70.2% of Malaysian formal-sector employees earn RM5,000 or less monthly as of December 2025.
- **Kuala Lumpur Families:** Young married couples aged 18 to 29 with two children require around RM6,183 monthly for essential expenses, compared to RM3,845 in Kuala Terengganu.
- **DOSM Wage Data:** Employee Wages Statistics reveal 8.4% of formal employees earn below RM1,700, while personal loans and other debts remain major contributors to bankruptcy cases.

##### With the cost of living still being a major concern for many Malaysians, newly highlighted data has shown that a large number of workers in the country are still earning RM5,000 or less a month.

![ wk kl seputeh traffic jam kuala lumpur cars ( ) ](https://cdn.weirdkaya.com/media/202606-wk-KL-Seputeh_traffic-Jam_Kuala-Lumpur_cars-3-2663.png)Photo by WeirdKaya. For illustration purposes only.

Chief economist at Bank Muamalat Malaysia Berhad, Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said around 70.2% of Malaysian formal-sector employees earned monthly wages of RM5,000 and below as of December 2025.

## Majority earn RM5,000 and below

The figure was highlighted amid concerns that many workers may still be struggling to keep up with rising living costs, especially those living in major urban areas.

![ wk pavilion kuala lumpur people malaysians busy kl ( ) ](https://cdn.weirdkaya.com/media/202606-wk-Pavilion-Kuala-Lumpur_People_Malaysians_Busy-KL-2-2662.jpg)Photo by WeirdKaya. For illustration purposes only.

**The economist warned that while RM5,000 may sound like a decent figure on paper, it may not be enough for some households once rent, food, transport, childcare, loans and other daily expenses are taken into account.**

This is especially true for families with dependants in cities, where the cost of maintaining a decent standard of living can be much higher.

## KL family may need over RM6K a month

Dr Mohd Afzanizam also [said ](https://thesun.my/news/malaysia-news/formally-employed-malaysians-rm5000/)that a married couple aged between 18 and 29 with two young children in Kuala Lumpur would need around RM6,183 a month to meet essential living expenses.

![ wk pasar malam taman connaught crowd malaysian ](https://cdn.weirdkaya.com/media/202606-wk-Pasar-Malam_Taman-Connaught_Crowd_Malaysian-2664.jpg)Photo by WeirdKaya. For illustration purposes only.

In comparison, a family of the same size living in Kuala Terengganu would require around RM3,845 a month.

He said this shows how location plays a major role in determining a household’s purchasing power and disposable income.

## Some still earning below RM1,700

DOSM’s Employee Wages Statistics for the formal sector also showed that 8.4% of Malaysian formal employees earned below RM1,700 in December 2025.

Meanwhile, percentile analysis found that the bottom 10% of Malaysian formal employees received monthly wages of RM1,700 or less.

On the other end, employees in the 90th percentile earned at least RM11,122 a month.

## Financial resilience still a concern

Afzanizam also said financial resilience is not only about how much a person earns, but also how they manage their money and debts.

He pointed out that personal loans remain one of the main contributors to bankruptcy cases, followed by business financing, vehicle hire-purchase loans, housing loans and credit card debt.

The data has once again sparked discussion over whether wages in Malaysia are keeping up with the cost of living, especially for young workers and families in urban areas.