Facebook Ads Cost Per App Install Benchmarks in New Zealand

Introduction

New Zealand’s cost per app install (CPI) told a dramatic story across the past 12 months: a steep surge through the holiday tail and into January–February, followed by a sharp reset in Q2 and a brief August flare‑up. Despite spending two‑thirds of the year below the global benchmark, the early‑year spike kept New Zealand’s average CPI slightly above market. This analysis is based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks. This analysis explores ad performance trends for all industries in New Zealand compared to the global benchmark.

The story in the data

Across the window, New Zealand’s CPI averaged 15.86, just above the global 15.10. It opened at 11.20 in November 2024 and closed at 9.17 in October 2025, an 18% decline end‑to‑end. The year’s high landed in January at 44.65, while April marked the low at 2.53 — a swing of 42 points.

Momentum was pronounced:

• November to December nearly doubled (+94%) from 11.20 to 21.70.
• December to January doubled again (+106%) to the annual peak of 44.65.
• The market then unwound: February to March dropped 76% (35.06 to 8.57) and again in March to April (−71% to 2.53).
• A secondary lift arrived in August at 26.78 before easing into September (10.70) and October (9.17).

Volatility was elevated: month‑to‑month absolute moves averaged 10.68 points, notably choppier than the global benchmark’s 6.23. Six of 12 months printed single‑digit CPIs, while two months (January and February) sat above 30.

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

Seasonality was amplified in New Zealand. Q1 carried the load: January–March averaged 29.43, more than triple Q2’s trough at 4.71 (April–June). The mid‑year reset persisted into July (8.36), punctured by an August jump to 26.78, then cooled through early Q4 (10.70 in September, 9.17 in October). This rhythm contrasts with a more measured global cadence, where the high came mid‑year (June at 27.90) and the low in January (7.13). In short: New Zealand’s CPI was spiky around holidays and early Q1, soft across most of Q2, and mixed in late Q3.

Country vs. Global

Relative positioning shifted markedly month by month. New Zealand outpaced the global benchmark in 4 of 12 months (December, January, February, and August) and trailed in the other eight:

• January was the widest positive gap: +526% above global (44.65 vs. 7.13).
• April was the widest negative gap: 80% below global (2.53 vs. 12.59).
• The gap was narrowest in March, when New Zealand sat just 3% below global (8.57 vs. 8.83).

On averages, New Zealand finished about 5% above global CPI (15.86 vs. 15.10), but with roughly 70% higher month‑to‑month volatility. Directionally, the global trend rose from November to October (+21%), while New Zealand drifted lower (−18%), reflecting how a Q1 spike can lift the mean even as the year ends softer.

Closing

For performance marketers tracking Facebook Ads benchmarks, this CPI view shows how country‑specific ad costs in New Zealand diverged from global industry ad performance: outsized Q1 expense, a deep Q2 trough, and a brief August rebound. Understanding cost per app install trends for all industries in New Zealand — alongside broader CPC trends, CPM analysis, and CTR performance — helps contextualize market conditions against the global benchmark.