Malaysia urban population 2013-2022
In 2022, the urban population in Malaysia reached approximately 26.5 million people. In the last decade, the urban population in Malaysia has increased by more than four million people, indicating an upward trend in urbanization.
Rapid urbanization
In 2021, approximately 77 percent of Malaysia’s population lived in urban areas and cities. This puts Malaysia as one of Southeast Asia’s most urbanized countries. The metropolitan area of Greater Kuala Lumpur had a population of more than eight million in that year, making it Malaysia’s biggest urban area. However, about twice as many Malaysians lived in cities with half a million inhabitants or less.
Urban-rural divide
For many Malaysians, urbanization brought about more and better economic opportunities and job prospects. The average monthly income for urban households was more than three thousand ringgit higher than that of rural households. Poverty rates in rural areas were also significantly higher than that in urban areas. Even so, the countryside still holds a nostalgic place in the hearts of Malaysians, encapsulated in the romanticized idea of the ‘kampung’ or Malay village.
Rapid urbanization
In 2021, approximately 77 percent of Malaysia’s population lived in urban areas and cities. This puts Malaysia as one of Southeast Asia’s most urbanized countries. The metropolitan area of Greater Kuala Lumpur had a population of more than eight million in that year, making it Malaysia’s biggest urban area. However, about twice as many Malaysians lived in cities with half a million inhabitants or less.
Urban-rural divide
For many Malaysians, urbanization brought about more and better economic opportunities and job prospects. The average monthly income for urban households was more than three thousand ringgit higher than that of rural households. Poverty rates in rural areas were also significantly higher than that in urban areas. Even so, the countryside still holds a nostalgic place in the hearts of Malaysians, encapsulated in the romanticized idea of the ‘kampung’ or Malay village.
