GDP per capita in Malawi
Malawi: GDP per capita was 548.16 constant 2015 US$ in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
548.16 constant 2015 US$
Change on year
down 0.7%
World rank
204th
of 209 countries
All-time high
569.97 constant 2015 US$
in 2021
All-time low
258.79 constant 2015 US$
in 1963
Years of data
66
1960–2025
GDP per capita in Malawi, 1960–2025
Source: National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2015 US$.
Analysis
In 2025, gdp per capita in Malawi stood at 548.16 constant 2015 US$.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.7% on the previous year and up 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gdp per capita in Malawi peaked at 569.97 constant 2015 US$ in 2021 and was at its lowest, 258.79 constant 2015 US$, in 1963.
Malawi ranks 204th of 209 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
GDP per capita in Malawi, year by year
| Year | constant 2015 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 260.37 constant 2015 US$ | — |
| 1961 | 273.67 constant 2015 US$ | +5.1% |
| 1962 | 268.93 constant 2015 US$ | -1.7% |
| 1963 | 258.79 constant 2015 US$ | -3.8% |
| 1964 | 259.24 constant 2015 US$ | +0.2% |
| 1965 | 287.43 constant 2015 US$ | +10.9% |
| 1966 | 317.62 constant 2015 US$ | +10.5% |
| 1967 | 332.43 constant 2015 US$ | +4.7% |
| 1968 | 318.05 constant 2015 US$ | -4.3% |
| 1969 | 328.55 constant 2015 US$ | +3.3% |
| 1970 | 322.1 constant 2015 US$ | -2.0% |
| 1971 | 365.08 constant 2015 US$ | +13.3% |
| 1972 | 378.04 constant 2015 US$ | +3.5% |
| 1973 | 376.73 constant 2015 US$ | -0.3% |
| 1974 | 392.97 constant 2015 US$ | +4.3% |
| 1975 | 405.38 constant 2015 US$ | +3.2% |
| 1976 | 413.44 constant 2015 US$ | +2.0% |
| 1977 | 420.51 constant 2015 US$ | +1.7% |
| 1978 | 445.99 constant 2015 US$ | +6.1% |
| 1979 | 448.72 constant 2015 US$ | +0.6% |
| 1980 | 433.51 constant 2015 US$ | -3.4% |
| 1981 | 394.77 constant 2015 US$ | -8.9% |
| 1982 | 388.99 constant 2015 US$ | -1.5% |
| 1983 | 387.85 constant 2015 US$ | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 392.97 constant 2015 US$ | +1.3% |
| 1985 | 395.42 constant 2015 US$ | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 380.3 constant 2015 US$ | -3.8% |
| 1987 | 368.46 constant 2015 US$ | -3.1% |
| 1988 | 360.18 constant 2015 US$ | -2.2% |
| 1989 | 348.2 constant 2015 US$ | -3.3% |
| 1990 | 353.77 constant 2015 US$ | +1.6% |
| 1991 | 373 constant 2015 US$ | +5.4% |
| 1992 | 335.73 constant 2015 US$ | -10.0% |
| 1993 | 362.93 constant 2015 US$ | +8.1% |
| 1994 | 329.58 constant 2015 US$ | -9.2% |
| 1995 | 385.28 constant 2015 US$ | +16.9% |
| 1996 | 405.4 constant 2015 US$ | +5.2% |
| 1997 | 412.41 constant 2015 US$ | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 419.31 constant 2015 US$ | +1.7% |
| 1999 | 422.1 constant 2015 US$ | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 418.59 constant 2015 US$ | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 388.26 constant 2015 US$ | -7.2% |
| 2002 | 385.31 constant 2015 US$ | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 397.23 constant 2015 US$ | +3.1% |
| 2004 | 408.06 constant 2015 US$ | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 410.27 constant 2015 US$ | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 417.88 constant 2015 US$ | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 445.25 constant 2015 US$ | +6.6% |
| 2008 | 465.55 constant 2015 US$ | +4.6% |
| 2009 | 489.63 constant 2015 US$ | +5.2% |
| 2010 | 508.09 constant 2015 US$ | +3.8% |
| 2011 | 517.83 constant 2015 US$ | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 512.74 constant 2015 US$ | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 525.36 constant 2015 US$ | +2.5% |
| 2014 | 539.56 constant 2015 US$ | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 539.61 constant 2015 US$ | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 538.22 constant 2015 US$ | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 544.8 constant 2015 US$ | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 553.53 constant 2015 US$ | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 569.87 constant 2015 US$ | +3.0% |
| 2020 | 559.45 constant 2015 US$ | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 569.97 constant 2015 US$ | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 560.64 constant 2015 US$ | -1.6% |
| 2023 | 557.03 constant 2015 US$ | -0.6% |
| 2024 | 551.95 constant 2015 US$ | -0.9% |
| 2025 | 548.16 constant 2015 US$ | -0.7% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 548.16 constant 2015 US$ is below the median for low income countries, which is 734.16 constant 2015 US$, 75% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 548.16 constant 2015 US$ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1,159 constant 2015 US$, 47% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 290.51 constant 2015 US$ | 258.79 constant 2015 US$ | 332.43 constant 2015 US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 396.9 constant 2015 US$ | 322.1 constant 2015 US$ | 448.72 constant 2015 US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 385.07 constant 2015 US$ | 348.2 constant 2015 US$ | 433.51 constant 2015 US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 379.95 constant 2015 US$ | 329.58 constant 2015 US$ | 422.1 constant 2015 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 422.6 constant 2015 US$ | 385.31 constant 2015 US$ | 489.63 constant 2015 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 534.96 constant 2015 US$ | 508.09 constant 2015 US$ | 569.87 constant 2015 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 557.87 constant 2015 US$ | 548.16 constant 2015 US$ | 569.97 constant 2015 US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 201 Mozambique 585.68 constant 2015 US$ compare
- 202 Sudan 582.11 constant 2015 US$ compare
- 203 Democratic Republic of Congo 567.56 constant 2015 US$ compare
- 205 Somalia 465.44 constant 2015 US$ compare
- 206 Madagascar 456.51 constant 2015 US$ compare
- 207 Central African Republic 393.99 constant 2015 US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Malawi
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.07 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 4.6 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 56.42 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.005 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 2.61 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 257.97 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 20.57 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0228 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 11.91 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate -29.8 % change on previous year (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gdp per capita in Malawi?
- Gdp per capita in Malawi was 548.16 constant 2015 US$ in 2025, according to National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest gdp per capita recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 569.97 constant 2015 US$ in 2021.
- What is the lowest gdp per capita recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 258.79 constant 2015 US$ in 1963.
- How does Malawi rank for gdp per capita?
- Malawi ranks 204th out of 209 countries with data for 2025.
- Is gdp per capita rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Average economic output per person in a country or region per year. This data is adjusted by inflation but _does not_ account for differences in living costs between countries.