Lifestyle
Malaysia — Living: Major Cities
Malaysia had about 34.2 million people in 2025; the main hubs for foreign residents are Kuala Lumpur, Penang (George Town) and Johor Bahru, and DOSM publishes figures by state rather than by city.
VerifiedGovernment / official sourceDepartment of Statistics Malaysia — Current Population Estimates 2025Last reviewed: 2026-10-23
Key facts
- DOSM estimates Malaysia population at 34.2 million in 2025 and 34.4 million in 2026, growth of 0.5%.
- Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the most densely populated state-level unit, at 8,546 persons per square kilometre in 2025.
- Selangor is the most populous state with 21.6% of the population, followed by Johor at 12.3% and Sabah at 11.0%.
- The Penang state includes George Town, a UNESCO World Heritage city; Johor Bahru lies in Johor on the border with Singapore.
- DOSM figures are by state or federal territory, not by city; check rents locally before deciding.