Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Malaysia instead of Montana, you would:

Health

be 26.6% less likely to be obese

In Montana, 31.8% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Malaysia, that number is 23.3% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

be 55.3% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Montana, 11.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Malaysia, however, that number is 5.1% as of 2023.

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make 75.2% less money

Montana has a GDP per capita of $52,945 as of 2024, while in Malaysia, the GDP per capita is $13,125 as of 2025.

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Basic Needs

be 10.5% more likely to have internet access

In Montana, approximately 88.7% of the population has internet access as of 2023. In Malaysia, about 98.0% do as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2023–2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), World Health Organization (2024), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024). How we calculate this

Compare further: Montana vs. Malaysia

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Malaysia is 61.5% cheaper than Montana
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Size Comparison · See true size
Montana is around the same size as Malaysia.
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Moving from Montana to Malaysia · Cost, visas & climate
Compare cost of living, salary and climate.
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City Size Comparison · See true size
Compare the size of Helena vs Kuala Lumpur
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Malaysia: At a glance

Malaysia is a sovereign country in East/Southeast Asia, with a total land area of approximately 328,657 sq km. During the late 18th and 19th centuries, Great Britain established colonies and protectorates in the area of current Malaysia; these were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. In 1948, the British-ruled territories on the Malay Peninsula except Singapore formed the Federation of Malaya, which became independent in 1957. Malaysia was formed in 1963 when the former British colonies of Singapore, as well as Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of Borneo, joined the Federation. The first several years of the country's independence were marred by a communist insurgency, Indonesian confrontation with Malaysia, Philippine claims to Sabah, and Singapore's withdrawal in 1965. During the 22-year term of Prime Minister MAHATHIR bin Mohamad (1981-2003), Malaysia was successful in diversifying its economy from dependence on exports of raw materials to the development of manufacturing, services, and tourism. Prime Minister Mohamed NAJIB bin Abdul Razak (in office since April 2009) has continued these pro-business policies and has introduced some civil reforms.
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How big is Malaysia compared to Montana? See an in-depth size comparison.

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