See how your app install costs compare. Explore mobile acquisition cost benchmarks by industry, region, and platform
November 2024 - November 2025
Detailed observation of presented data
Across 2025, cost per app install (CPI) in the United Arab Emirates traced a dramatic arc that diverged sharply from the global benchmark. The year opened expensive, surged to an extreme in March, then unwound into some of the lowest CPI levels observed anywhere by early Q4. The global market, by contrast, trended higher and steadier through midyear and into Q3. 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 the United Arab Emirates compared to the global benchmark.
For all industries in the United Arab Emirates, CPI started at 13.04 in January and closed at 0.89 in October, a 93% decline over the period. The high was an extraordinary 170.72 in March; the low came in October at 0.89, compressing the range by 99.5% from peak to latest. The 10‑month average was 25.54, though this is skewed by March; the median month sat closer to 5.06, signaling that “typical” levels were far lower than the early spike suggests.
Monthly movements were striking:
Volatility averaged 36.5 points in absolute month‑to‑month change, driven almost entirely by the March surge and April reset. Excluding that shock, average monthly movement settled around 6.1 points, far calmer and more in line with global dynamics.
The UAE’s CPI ran hot in Q1 (69.20 on average), cooled sharply in Q2 (13.81), and became exceptionally efficient in Q3 (1.82). Where many Facebook Ads benchmarks show tighter conditions through late Q3 and Q4, the UAE pattern moved the other way: midyear softness deepened into early Q4, with October setting the year’s low. The rhythm is one of early escalation, midyear normalization, and late‑year deflation.
Against the global benchmark, the contrast is stark. Global CPI averaged 15.95 from January to October and climbed into midyear (peaking at 27.90 in June), with an average monthly swing of 6.8 points. The UAE sat above market for the first four months—January (+81%), February (+85%), March (+1,762%), April (+113%)—then fell consistently below from May onward. From May to October, the UAE ran 45% to 96% cheaper than global CPI; Q3 was roughly 90% below market (1.82 vs. 18.28). The narrowest gap occurred in May (−45% vs. global), while the widest was March at 17.6x the global level.
In short, Facebook Ads cost per app install benchmarks for all industries in the United Arab Emirates showed an extreme early spike followed by a pronounced, steady compression that ran counter to global seasonality. Understanding CPI trends alongside broader Facebook Ads benchmarks, CPM analysis, CPC trends, and CTR performance helps frame country‑specific ad costs and industry ad performance for the United Arab Emirates versus the global pattern.
Insights & analysis of Facebook advertising costs
Facebook advertising costs vary based on many factors including industry, target audience, ad placement, and campaign objectives. Different industries see varying ad costs due to market competition, user demographics, and conversion value. For campaigns targeting United Arab Emirates, 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.
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.
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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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.
Ramadan + Eid (Mar–Apr), End of November–December (UAE National Day, Christmas, New Year), Dubai Shopping Festival (mid-Dec through Jan)
CPMs may rise sharply during Ramadan and Eid, especially in e‑commerce, gifting, F&B, and beauty sectors. UAE National Day campaigns could lead to high local bidding activity in travel, banking, and luxury retail. Dubai Shopping Festival drives elevated CPMs from mid-December to mid-January. Islamic holidays shift each year, affecting year-over-year comparisons.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Discover detailed cost benchmarks for different Facebook advertising metrics:
Average cost per click benchmarks across industries
Cost per thousand impressions across different markets
Benchmark click-through rates for Facebook ads
Cost per lead across different markets
Average cost per purchase benchmarks across industries
See how much it costs to get users to install an app