Malaysia — Health spending
Health Spending (% of GDP) for Malaysia, 2000–2023.
Health spending for Malaysia was 3.96% in 2023, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 24 years, from 2000 to 2023. The highest recorded value was 4.37% in 2021. The lowest was 2.51% in 2000 (about 1.6× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 1.99% per year.
Malaysia ranks 154 of 189 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 81%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 5.94%, so Malaysia sits below it. It peaked in 2021 and has fallen 10% since. Over the last decade (2013–2023) the figure moved up 13%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 24 of 29 economies; Fiji (3.62%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 12% in 2006. That is 3% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
Doubling roughly every 35 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 169th of 184 in 2000 → 169th of 188 in 2010 → 160th of 189 in 2020 → 153rd of 188 in 2023.
Key figures
Full history — 2000 to 2023
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 3.96% | +0.1 pp |
| 2022 | 3.9% | -0.5 pp |
| 2021 | 4.37% | +0.3 pp |
| 2020 | 4.08% | +0.2 pp |
| 2019 | 3.84% | +0.1 pp |
| 2018 | 3.76% | +0.0 pp |
| 2017 | 3.71% | +0.0 pp |
| 2016 | 3.7% | -0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 3.82% | +0.1 pp |
| 2014 | 3.71% | +0.2 pp |
| 2013 | 3.51% | +0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 3.46% | +0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 3.31% | +0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 3.16% | -0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 3.26% | +0.3 pp |
| 2008 | 3.01% | -0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 3.07% | -0.0 pp |
| 2006 | 3.11% | +0.3 pp |
| 2005 | 2.79% | -0.1 pp |
| 2004 | 2.86% | -0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 2.92% | +0.3 pp |
| 2002 | 2.67% | -0.0 pp |
| 2001 | 2.68% | +0.2 pp |
| 2000 | 2.51% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Malaysia’s Health spending in 2001?
2.68% (2001). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of GDP, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Malaysia’s Health spending growing or shrinking?
Between 2000 and 2023 the series was growing overall: +57.4% in total — about 2.0% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2023: 3.96%; 2022: 3.9%; 2021: 4.37%; 2020: 4.08%; 2019: 3.84%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS — Health Spending (% of GDP). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.