Military spending in Malaysia
Malaysia: Military spending was 4.68 billion constant 2022 US$ in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Military spending in Malaysia, 1957–2023
Source: Barnum et al. - Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2022 US$.
Analysis
Malaysia recorded 4.68 billion constant 2022 US$ for military spending in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.3% on the previous year and down 15.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending in Malaysia peaked at 5.52 billion constant 2022 US$ in 2013 and was at its lowest, 301.29 million constant 2022 US$, in 1961.
That places Malaysia 53rd out of 172 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 401.02 million constant 2022 US$ | 359.33 million constant 2022 US$ | 428.15 million constant 2022 US$ | 3 |
| 1960s | 579.70 million constant 2022 US$ | 301.29 million constant 2022 US$ | 806.35 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.59 billion constant 2022 US$ | 908.38 million constant 2022 US$ | 2.52 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.84 billion constant 2022 US$ | 2.16 billion constant 2022 US$ | 3.94 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.66 billion constant 2022 US$ | 2.44 billion constant 2022 US$ | 4.48 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.18 billion constant 2022 US$ | 3.41 billion constant 2022 US$ | 5.03 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.99 billion constant 2022 US$ | 4.54 billion constant 2022 US$ | 5.52 billion constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.54 billion constant 2022 US$ | 4.34 billion constant 2022 US$ | 4.68 billion constant 2022 US$ | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More reference data data for Malaysia
- Spring temperature anomalies 0.3171 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.4881 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.0702 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.2047 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 0.4538 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 134.6 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending in Malaysia?
- Military spending in Malaysia was 4.68 billion constant 2022 US$ in 2023, according to Barnum et al. - Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 5.52 billion constant 2022 US$ in 2013.
- What is the lowest military spending recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 301.29 million constant 2022 US$ in 1961.
- How does Malaysia rank for military spending?
- Malaysia ranks 53rd out of 172 countries with data for 2023.
- Is military spending rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malaysia data come from?
- The figures come from Barnum et al. - Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This data is expressed in US dollars. It is adjusted for inflation but does not account for differences in the cost of living between countries.