Average Age of First Marriage in Southeast Asia

The average age at which people enter their first marriage varies considerably across Southeast Asia. The differences can be seen not only between countries but also between women and men within each country. Overall, the figures show a general pattern in which men tend to marry later than women.

Singapore has the highest average age of first marriage in the region, with women marrying at an average age of 29.6 years and men at 31.1 years. The Philippines follows, with women marrying at 28.0 years and men at 30.0 years.

Malaysia also records relatively high ages, at 27.0 years for women and 28.0 years for men, while Brunei has averages of 26.6 years for women and 27.6 years for men.

In the middle range are Thailand and Vietnam. In Thailand, women marry at an average age of 25.8 years, compared with 28.7 years for men. Vietnam records averages of 25.2 years for women and 27.4 years for men. Myanmar has a slightly lower average, with women marrying at 24.6 years and men at 26.6 years.

The youngest average ages in the region are found in Laos, Indonesia, Timor-Leste, and Cambodia. In Laos, the average first-marriage age is 22.8 years for women and 25.9 years for men. Indonesia follows closely, with women marrying at 22.3 years and men at 25.7 years.

Timor-Leste has an average of 22.0 years for women and 26.2 years for men, while Cambodia has the lowest figures in this group, at 21.8 years for women and 24.5 years for men.

One noticeable feature across all eleven countries is the gender gap. In every country listed, men marry later than women, although the size of the difference varies. This pattern may reflect differences in social expectations, economic circumstances, education, and the timing of family formation.

Taken together, these figures demonstrate the diversity of marriage patterns across Southeast Asia. Countries such as Singapore and the Philippines have relatively later first marriages, while Cambodia, Timor-Leste, and Indonesia have earlier averages. These differences illustrate how marriage timing can vary significantly across societies within the same region.