See how your CPL compares. Explore lead generation cost benchmarks by industry, region, and campaign type
January 2025 - January 2026
Detailed observation of presented data
New Zealand’s Facebook Ads Cost Per Lead (CPL) moved close to the global benchmark on average, but with far sharper swings. Across all industries, the market saw a late-year surge to a record high in October before an abrupt collapse in November, ending the year roughly half of where it began. This mix of parity and volatility defines the story: similar costs overall, very different rhythm.
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.
Median CPL in New Zealand averaged $39.5 over the 13-month window, just below the global average of $40.1. The range was wide: from a low of $16.42 in November 2025 to a high of $70.68 in October 2025. The period started at $39.20 in December 2024 and finished at $19.26 in December 2025, a 51% year-over-year drop for December.
Momentum built early: after a soft January ($31.58), CPL climbed through February ($34.81) into March ($44.24) and April ($45.95). Mid-year stabilized around the upper $30s to low $40s (May–July). Two standout surges punctuated the second half: August jumped to $55.31, cooled in September ($40.84), then spiked to the yearly high in October ($70.68), a 73% month-over-month leap from September. The sharpest move followed: November plunged 77% to $16.42, with a modest December rebound to $19.26.
Volatility was pronounced. Average month-to-month absolute change in New Zealand was 12.5 points, more than triple the global benchmark’s 3.9, signaling a market that swung faster and further even as its full-period average tracked the world closely.
Seasonally, the global pattern tightened from late Q2 into Q3 and peaked in October before easing in December—a familiar Q4 cadence as competition intensifies and then recedes. New Zealand mirrored the timing but amplified the amplitude. Q1 progressed from soft to firm (January–March), Q2 held steady, and Q3 stepped up on the August spike. Q4 split in two: an unusually expensive October followed by an atypically low-cost November and subdued December.
Quarterly averages underscore the rhythm:
Relative to global Facebook Ads benchmarks, New Zealand hovered near parity but seesawed around it. The market ran above global levels in March–April (+24% to +33%), August (+29%), and especially October (+46%). It trailed in January and February (−10% to −13%), June–July (−5% to −8%), September (−15%), November (−64%), and December (−41%). The gap was narrowest in May (about +1%) and December 2024 (about +2%). From January to October 2025, the global trend rose about 39%, while New Zealand climbed 124% over the same span before the November correction.
Overall, New Zealand’s CPL averaged 1–2% below the global benchmark but was markedly more volatile, with outsized late-year peaks and troughs shaping country-specific ad costs.
Understanding Facebook Ads Cost Per Lead benchmarks for all industries in New Zealand—alongside global industry ad performance, CPC trends, CPM analysis, and CTR performance—helps teams assess how lead costs evolved locally versus worldwide through 2025.
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 New Zealand, 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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Late November–early December (Black Friday/Cyber Monday), Christmas season (Boxing Day sales), Mid‑year promotions (Matariki in June), Back-to-school (late January/early February)
CPM and CPC might rise around Waitangi Day and ANZAC Day as public events increase media consumption. Matariki is new public holiday with growing awareness—advertising may see elevated competition. Late November–December Black Friday/Cyber Monday could drive ad costs significantly. Regional anniversary holidays may cause local inventory shifts.
A good CPL usually ranges from $10 to $50, depending on your industry and target audience. B2C offers tend to be cheaper, while B2B or high-ticket services may see CPLs over $100.
Your CPL could be high due to weak creative, irrelevant targeting, or an offer that doesn't resonate. Low engagement or poor conversion rates on your landing page can also drive up costs.
Yes. Campaigns optimized for conversions or leads tend to generate cheaper and more qualified leads compared to traffic or engagement objectives. Facebook needs clear signals to find the right users.
Focus on improving your offer, targeting the right audience, and using high-converting creative. Test native lead forms, but make sure you're still qualifying users properly.
If your goal is sales or revenue, optimizing for deeper funnel conversions is better. Optimizing for leads alone can inflate volume but hurt quality.
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Cost per lead across different markets
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