Facebook Ads Insights Tool

Facebook Ads Cost Per App Install Benchmarks for Real Estate in South Africa

See how your app install costs compare. Explore mobile acquisition cost benchmarks by industry, region, and platform

Cost Per App Install for Real Estate in South Africa

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Executive summary

  • This analysis looks at cost-per-app-install trends for industry Real Estate and target country South Africa compared to the global trend. The analysis is based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks.
  • There are no monthly observations for the selected Real Estate/South Africa segment in the period provided, so relative positioning versus the global baseline cannot be computed.
  • The global baseline shows elevated volatility, a Q4 run-up peaking in November, a sharp jump in June, and renewed strength into September.
  • Over the period, the global baseline average (mean of monthly medians) is 11.85, with a low of 1.98 (September 2024) and a high of 26.21 (June 2025). From the first to the last month, costs rose 1061%.

About the dataset

  • Metric: cost-per-app-install (CPI), reported as monthly medians.
  • Selected segment: Real Estate in South Africa.
  • Baseline: global benchmark across all industries/countries for the same months.

Selected segment overview

  • No data points are available for Real Estate in South Africa for the months shown.
  • As a result, averages, highs/lows, month-to-month changes, and seasonality for the selected segment cannot be calculated from the provided input.

Global baseline highlights

  • Period average (mean of monthly medians): 11.85.
  • High: 26.21 in June 2025.
  • Low: 1.98 in September 2024.
  • Range: 24.23 between the lowest and highest month.
  • First-to-last change: from 1.98 (Sep 2024) to 22.99 (Sep 2025), up 1061%.
  • Volatility: average absolute month-to-month change of 6.31 across the period.
  • Largest monthly increase: +15.78 from May to June 2025.
  • Sharpest monthly decline: −13.86 from June to July 2025.

Seasonality and month-to-month patterns

  • Q4 pattern: Costs climbed into November 2024 (14.28), then moderated in December (8.52). This aligns with typical holiday-season upward pressure, peaking before year-end and easing afterward.
  • Early year fluctuations: January to March 2025 oscillated (6.36 → 11.36 → 6.87), indicating choppy demand/pricing at the start of the year.
  • Q2 surge: April and May were mid-range (11.51 and 10.43) before a pronounced spike in June (26.21), the period high.
  • Mid-year reset and late Q3 strength: July corrected to 12.35, August edged up to 15.00, and September strengthened further to 22.99, the second-highest value of the year.

Selected vs. baseline

  • With no observations for Real Estate in South Africa, the selected segment cannot be classified as above market, below average, or in line with overall trends.
  • The global baseline offers directional guidance on where cost-per-app-install tends to sit across the year, including the Q4 run-up, mid-year spikes, and notable volatility.

Understanding cost-per-app-install benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry Real Estate and South Africa helps advertisers make more efficient budget and creative choices.

Understanding the Data

Insights & analysis of Facebook advertising costs

Facebook advertising costs vary based on many factors including industry, target audience, ad placement, and campaign objectives. In the Real Estate industry, Facebook ad costs can be influenced by seasonal trends and market competition. For campaigns targeting South Africa, advertisers should consider local market factors and user behavior. Different campaign objectives lead to varying costs based on how Facebook optimizes for your specific goals. The data shown represents median values across multiple campaigns, and individual results may vary based on ad quality, audience targeting, and campaign optimization.

Why we use median instead of average

We use the median CTR because the underlying distribution of click-through rates is highly skewed, with a small share of campaigns achieving extremely high CTRs. These outliers can inflate a simple average, making it less representative of what most advertisers actually experience. By using the median—which sits at the midpoint of all campaigns—we provide a more rigorous and realistic benchmark that reflects the true underlying data model and helps you set attainable performance expectations.

Key Factors Affecting Facebook Ad Costs

  • Competition within your selected industry and audience demographics
  • Ad quality and relevance score – higher quality ads can lower costs
  • Campaign objective and bid strategy
  • Timing and seasonality – costs often increase during holiday periods
  • Ad placement (News Feed, Instagram, Audience Network, etc.)

Note: This data represents industry median values and benchmarks. Your actual costs may vary based on specific targeting, ad creative quality, and campaign optimization.

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The data behind the benchmarks

All data is sourced from over $3B in Facebook ad spend, collected across thousands of ad accounts that use Superads daily to analyze and improve their campaigns. Every data point is fully anonymized and aggregated—no individual advertiser is ever exposed.

This dataset updates frequently as new ad data flows in. It will only get bigger and better.

South Africa Advertising Landscape

National Holidays

Jan 1New Year's Day
Mar 21Human Rights Day
Apr 18Good Friday
Apr 21Family Day
Apr 27Freedom Day
May 1Workers' Day
Jun 16Youth Day
Aug 9National Women's Day
Sep 24Heritage Day
Dec 16Day of Reconciliation
Dec 25Christmas Day
Dec 26Day of Goodwill

Key Shopping Season

Late November (Black Friday/Cyber Monday), December (Christmas & Day of Goodwill), Mid-year retail (June Youth Day promotions)

Potential Advertising Impact

CPM and CPC might rise during long weekends like Human Rights Day, Freedom Day, and Heritage Day as leisure and travel-related media consumption increases. Retail CPMs may spike in late November–December for holiday shopping. Youth Day and National Women's Day might drive regional campaigns. Weekend extensions across public holidays may benefit weekend campaigns.

What's a good CPI for iOS vs Android in 2025?

iOS CPIs often range from $2 to $5 or more. Android is usually cheaper, between $1 and $3. Your CPI will depend on geo, creative, and optimization goal.

Why is my app install cost higher in some countries?

Some regions like the US, UK, and Canada have higher competition and stricter privacy regulations, which drive up costs. Countries with lower purchasing power typically have cheaper CPIs.

What creatives drive the lowest CPI on Facebook?

Short videos showing app benefits, UGC-style content, and localized messaging tend to perform best. Clear CTAs and fast-paced visuals help lower your CPI.

Should I optimize for installs or in-app actions?

Optimizing for installs gets volume, but optimizing for actions like signups or purchases brings higher quality users. It depends on your goals and how much post-install behavior matters.

How do I lower CPI without tanking app retention or quality?

Align your creative with the app experience, avoid misleading ads, and exclude users who already installed. You can also test lookalike audiences based on high-quality users, not just all installers.