With a wealthy history of worldwide trade, Southeast Asia is emerging as a dynamic center of economic diversity and cultural wealth.
In this increasingly connected world, GDP per capita serves as a benchmark for measuring, comparing and representing nations’ economies and productivity.
Below you will discover GDP per capita data for 11 countries within the region. Data comes from the International Monetary Fund and is updated until April 2024.
| Country | GDP per capita |
|---|---|
| Singapore | $88,450 |
| Brunei | $35,110 |
| Malaysia | $13,310 |
| Thailand | $7,810 |
| Indonesia | $5,270 |
| Vietnam | $4,620 |
| Philippines | $4,130 |
| Cambodia | $2,630 |
| Laos | 1980 dollars |
| East Timor | $1,450 |
| Myanmar | $1,250 |
Singapore leads Southeast Asia with a GDP per capita of over $88,000, making it the eleventh richest country on this planet. Although Singapore has an area of only 734 square kilometers and a population of roughly 5.6 million, Singapore takes advantage of its strategic location as one in every of the busiest trade routes between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea.
Singapore has turn out to be a financial and logistics center, exporting raw materials and industrial products, while having limited local production. This leads to a positive trade balance, with significant exports and imports to several countries.
Brunei, the second richest country in Southeast Asia after Singapore, relies on the oil and gas industry for half of its income.
While this makes the country vulnerable to fluctuations in commodity prices, it also supports a prosperous lifestyle for its residents. No wonder the standard of life on this country is amongst one of the best on this planet. The country can also be characterised by low public debt, stable inflation and a trade surplus that has been maintained for the last decade.
Malaysia and Thailand, each with significant tourism sectors, rank third and fourth when it comes to GDP per capita, with values of $13,310 and $7,810 respectively.
Meanwhile, Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest economy and the world’s fourth most populous country, ranks fifth with a GDP per capita of about $5,270.
