The middle-income group in Malaysia (M40) is feeling the pinch even more this year when it comes to saving money while the lower-income group (B40) is actually becoming smarter with their finances.
M40 can’t save as much anymore
According to the RinggitPlus Malaysian Financial Literacy Survey 2025, only 23% of those earning between RM5,000–RM10,000 managed to save between RM1,001–RM1,500 a month. That’s a drop from 29% last year.
At the same time, more people in this group are struggling — 39% said they could only save RM500 or less each month, compared to 31% in 2024.
Even their financial buffers are shrinking. Only 27% of M40 respondents said they could survive more than six months on their savings, down from 32% last year.
B40 leveling up their money game
Surprisingly, those earning below RM2,000 showed better awareness when it comes to planning ahead.
- 55% said they are now planning for retirement (up from 48% in 2024).
- Only 40% admitted they don’t know about credit scores, an improvement from 45% last year.
This shows that financial literacy campaigns and awareness efforts may actually be making a difference, especially among lower-income groups.
On the whole, the picture still isn’t great.
Just 22% of Malaysians believe their EPF savings are enough for retirement, though it’s a slight increase from 19% last year.
The survey covered 3,113 Malaysians aged 18 and above across all states and federal territories, and was conducted in English, Bahasa Malaysia, and Chinese to ensure wider representation.
