Malaysia and Thailand Share Cost Worries but Diverge on Pressure Points

A Rakuten Insight survey has revealed that Malaysia and Thailand, despite recording identical economic worry scores of 8.09 out of 10, face very different cost pressures amid the Strait of Hormuz oil disruption. Malaysians are most concerned about food prices, with 35.8% citing groceries as their top worry, while fuel ranks second at 24.1%. In contrast, Thai consumers, as net oil importers, feel the pinch at the pump, with 34.4% naming fuel and transport as their primary concern, followed by food at 26.8%.

Malaysia and Thailand

The survey of 2,106 consumers highlights how structural differences shape sentiment more than geopolitical headlines. Thai respondents showed stronger instincts to cut spending, with 63.9% reducing expenses compared to 52.1% in Malaysia. Dining out and food delivery saw sharper declines in Thailand, while Malaysians increasingly turned to locally made products to offset Ringgit volatility.

Rakuten Insight’s Collin Leow noted: “For Malaysia, it is the kitchen. For Thailand, it is the fuel pump. Same thermometer reading, completely different symptoms.”

With most Malaysians expecting the disruption to last beyond a month, the findings suggest structural adaptation is underway, reshaping consumption habits even as oil prices ease following a US‑Iran ceasefire.

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