Bank cost to income ratio in Malaysia

Malaysia: Bank cost to income ratio was 43.4% in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
43.4%
Change on year
down 7.4%
World rank
141st
of 169 countries
All-time high
58.5%
in 2009
All-time low
21.9%
in 2004
Years of data
22
2000–2021

Bank cost to income ratio in Malaysia, 2000–2021

02040602000201020212000: 38.7 %2001: 33.7 %2002: 35.3 %2003: 33 %2004: 21.9 %2005: 35.8 %2006: 45.3 %2007: 39 %2008: 49.7 %2009: 58.5 %2010: 50.8 %2011: 36.9 %2012: 37.9 %2013: 37.4 %2014: 39.1 %2015: 46.1 %2016: 43.1 %2017: 42.6 %2018: 42.7 %2019: 42.9 %2020: 46.9 %2021: 43.4 %

Source: Bankscope, Bureau van Dijk (BvD). Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2021, bank cost to income ratio in Malaysia stood at 43.4%.

That represents a change of down 7.4% on the previous year and up 17.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, bank cost to income ratio in Malaysia peaked at 58.5% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 21.9%, in 2004.

That places Malaysia 141st out of 169 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.

Bank cost to income ratio in Malaysia, year by year

Annual values for Bank cost to income ratio (%) in Malaysia, 2000 to 2021.
Year % Change
2000 38.7%
2001 33.7% -12.9%
2002 35.3% +4.6%
2003 33.0% -6.5%
2004 21.9% -33.5%
2005 35.8% +63.5%
2006 45.3% +26.5%
2007 39.0% -14.0%
2008 49.7% +27.4%
2009 58.5% +17.8%
2010 50.8% -13.2%
2011 36.9% -27.4%
2012 37.9% +2.6%
2013 37.4% -1.2%
2014 39.1% +4.6%
2015 46.1% +17.8%
2016 43.1% -6.5%
2017 42.6% -1.3%
2018 42.7% +0.3%
2019 42.9% +0.4%
2020 46.9% +9.3%
2021 43.4% -7.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 39.1% 21.9% 58.5% 10
2010s 41.9% 36.9% 50.8% 10
2020s 45.2% 43.4% 46.9% 2

Countries ranked near Malaysia

  1. 138 Thailand 44.6% compare
  2. 139 Nepal 44.5% compare
  3. 140 Sri Lanka 43.5% compare
  4. 142 Burkina Faso 43.2% compare
  5. 143 Tajikistan 43.1% compare
  6. 144 Rwanda 43.0% compare

See the full ranking of 169 places →

More financial sector data for Malaysia

All data for Malaysia →

Frequently asked questions

What is bank cost to income ratio in Malaysia?
Bank cost to income ratio in Malaysia was 43.4% in 2021, according to Bankscope, Bureau van Dijk (BvD).
What is the highest bank cost to income ratio recorded in Malaysia?
The highest recorded value was 58.5% in 2009.
What is the lowest bank cost to income ratio recorded in Malaysia?
The lowest recorded value was 21.9% in 2004.
How does Malaysia rank for bank cost to income ratio?
Malaysia ranks 141st out of 169 countries with data for 2021.
Is bank cost to income ratio rising or falling in Malaysia?
Over the last ten years it is up 17.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Malaysia data come from?
The figures come from Bankscope, Bureau van Dijk (BvD), published as part of Bank cost to income ratio (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Bank cost to income ratio in Malaysia. Statizoid, drawing on Bankscope, Bureau van Dijk (BvD). Retrieved 04 September 2026, from https://financial-sector.statizoid.com/stat/bank-cost-to-income-ratio-percent/malaysia/

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About this data

Indicator
Bank cost to income ratio (%)
Unit
%
Source
Bankscope, Bureau van Dijk (BvD)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
169 places, 3,210 data points, 2000–2021
Last refreshed

Raw data are from Bankscope. Data2090 / (data2080 + data2085). All Numerator and denominator are first aggregated on the country level before division. Note that banks used in the calculation might differ between indicators. Calculated from underlying bank-by-bank unconsolidated data from Bankscope.