Southeast Asia's Wealthiest Nations by GNI Per Capita PPP (Excluding Singapore)

Excluding Singapore (outlier: ~$102K PPP), the 2022 World Bank GNI per capita (PPP, current international $) ranking for Southeast Asia:

1. Brunei — $33,410 (oil/gas, tiny population ~450K)
2. Malaysia — $24,980 (diversified: electronics, oil, palm oil, tourism, services)
3. Thailand — $20,880 (manufacturing, tourism, agriculture, auto hub)
4. Indonesia — $16,580 (resources, manufacturing, digital economy, 275M people)
5. Vietnam — $12,870 (export manufacturing, electronics, textiles, FDI magnet)
6. Philippines — $10,460 (BPO, remittances, electronics, growing domestic demand)
7. Laos — $8,880 (hydro, mining, China railway, least developed)
8. Cambodia — $7,550 (garments, tourism, agriculture, China-linked)
9. Myanmar — $6,830 (resources, agriculture, conflict-disrupted)
10. Timor-Leste — $6,350 (oil/gas dependent, post-conflict, smallest)

Critical Context

• GNI ≠ GDP: GNI includes net primary income from abroad (remittances, investment income). Philippines, Vietnam benefit significantly.
• PPP Adjusts for Price Levels: $1 buys more in Hanoi than Kuala Lumpur.
• Inequality: Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia have high Gini (>0.40); averages mask disparity.
• Singapore Exclusion: At ~$102K, it would be #1 by 3× — a city-state financial hub, not comparable.
• Data Year: 2022 (latest finalized). Post-COVID recovery varied; Myanmar declined.

Brunei's resource wealth + micro-population keeps it #1. Malaysia's structural transformation makes it the most balanced upper-middle economy. Vietnam's trajectory is steepest.