Poverty and living standards in Kelantan, Malaysia: official figures
The absolute poverty rate in Kelantan was 11.5% of households in 2024 (households with income below the national poverty line), 2nd highest among the 16 areas.
Has poverty in Kelantan gone down?
Poverty in Kelantan fell between the 2022 and 2024 household surveys: 13.2% of households were below the poverty line in 2022 and 11.5% in 2024, a change of -1.7 percentage points.
Source: Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) · saved copyHow unequal is income in Kelantan?
Income inequality in Kelantan, measured by the Gini coefficient of household income, was 0.356 in 2024 (0 is perfect equality, 1 is maximum inequality), 4th most unequal among the 16 areas.
Source: Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) · saved copyIs income inequality in Kelantan getting better or worse?
The Gini coefficient of household income in Kelantan fell from 0.385 in 2022 to 0.356 in 2024, so income inequality narrowed.
Source: Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) · saved copyHow much of their income do households in Kelantan spend?
Households in Kelantan spent on average 73% of their income in 2024 (RM3,825 out of RM5,265 a month), a share that ranks the highest among the 16 areas.
Source: Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) · saved copyWhy is average income higher than median income in Kelantan?
The mean household income in Kelantan is 29% higher than the median (RM5,265 against RM4,083 a month in 2024); the gap ranks 5th widest among the 16 areas.
Source: Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) · saved copyHow Kelantan compares with other states
Absolute poverty rate, 2024 (% of households) (2024)
Kelantan ranks 2 of 16, highest first. Share of households with income below the national poverty line.
| Rank | Region | Absolute poverty rate, 2024 (% of households) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sabah | 17.7% |
| 2 | Kelantan | 11.5% |
| 3 | Kedah | 8.4% |
| 4 | Sarawak | 8.4% |
| 5 | Perak | 6.9% |
| 6 | Pahang | 5.9% |
| 7 | Terengganu | 5.8% |
Income inequality (Gini coefficient), 2024 (2024)
Kelantan ranks 4 of 16, highest first. Gini coefficient of household income: 0 is perfect equality, 1 is maximum inequality.
| Rank | Region | Income inequality (Gini coefficient), 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sabah | 0.405 |
| 2 | Kuala Lumpur | 0.375 |
| 3 | Sarawak | 0.361 |
| 4 | Kelantan | 0.356 |
| 5 | Johor | 0.348 |
| 6 | Negeri Sembilan | 0.343 |
| 7 | Melaka | 0.337 |
More on Kelantan: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · Malaysia
Sources
- Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM): Household Income and Expenditure Survey by state, 2022 and 2024: mean and median household income, mean household expenditure, Gini coefficient, absolute poverty rate, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 2006002bbfb2…)
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