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Facebook Ads Cost Per Purchase Benchmarks for Education in New Zealand

See how your purchase costs compare. Explore ecommerce conversion cost benchmarks by industry, region, and campaign type

Cost Per Purchase for Education in New Zealand

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Facebook Ads cost per purchase benchmarks: monthly trends and comparison

Key takeaways

  • Education in New Zealand tracked below the global baseline in 9 of 12 months, but recorded a major outlier in September 2025.
  • Average cost per purchase for the selection was 53.89 across the year vs. 47.82 globally (+12.7% above market). Excluding September’s outlier, the selection averaged 38.43, about 22% below the global average for the same months.
  • Clear seasonal lift into late Q4: October to December 2024 rose 43% for New Zealand; the global baseline also peaked around December–February.
  • Volatility was elevated in the selection (average month-to-month move 25.17), driven by a jump in September; the baseline moved a steadier 3.25 on average month-to-month.

This analysis looks at cost per purchase trends for industry Education and target country New Zealand compared to the global trend. The analysis is based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks.

Trend overview for Education in New Zealand

  • Average across 12 months: 53.89.
  • High/low: peak at 223.92 in September 2025; low at 25.73 in June 2025.
  • Start to end change: from 26.58 in October 2024 to 223.92 in September 2025 (+742%).
  • Notable movements:
  • October → December 2024: 26.58 → 38.10 (+43%).
  • April–May 2025: elevated at 56.13 and 55.21, then sharp dip to 25.73 in June (-53% month over month).
  • August → September 2025: surge from 40.84 to 223.92 (+448%), the key outlier.
  • Volatility: average absolute month-to-month change of 25.17; most months moved within 1–10, but September is the major exception.

Global baseline trend

  • Average across 12 months: 47.82.
  • High/low: peak at 53.89 in February 2025; low at 32.29 in September 2025.
  • Start to end change: from 46.67 in October 2024 to 32.29 in September 2025 (-30.8%).
  • Notable movements:
  • November → December 2024: 43.19 → 51.53 (+19%).
  • Gradual easing after Q1, with a pronounced drop into September (-29% from August).
  • Volatility: average absolute month-to-month change of 3.25, indicating steadier movement than the selection.

Comparison to the global baseline

  • Overall: Selection is +12.7% above market on the full-year average (53.89 vs. 47.82), but this is skewed by September.
  • Excluding September, New Zealand averages 38.43 vs. 49.24 globally for the same months (about 22% below market).
  • Monthly positioning:
  • Below market in 9 of 12 months, including October–March and June–August.
  • Slightly above market in April (+9%) and May (+8%).
  • September outlier is almost 7x the global median that month (223.92 vs. 32.29).

Seasonality and volatility signals

  • Seasonal pattern: both series show higher costs in Q4–Q1 (selection rises into December; baseline lifts December–February). Costs ease into late summer, with the baseline reaching its annual low in September.
  • Volatility: the selection exhibits higher variance due to a late-period spike; otherwise it generally moved in line with overall trends, staying below the global median most months.

Understanding cost per purchase benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry Education and New Zealand 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 Education industry, Facebook ad costs can be moderate, with higher costs for professional and specialized courses. 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.

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.

New Zealand Advertising Landscape

National Holidays

Jan 1New Year's Day
Jan 2Day after New Year's Day
Feb 6Waitangi Day
Apr 18Good Friday
Apr 21Easter Monday
Apr 25ANZAC Day
Jun 2King's Birthday
Jun 20Matariki
Oct 27Labour Day
Dec 25Christmas Day
Dec 26Boxing Day

Key Shopping Season

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)

Potential Advertising Impact

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.

What's a healthy cost per purchase for ecommerce brands?

It depends on your product price and margins. Most brands aim for $10 to $50. For higher-ticket products, a higher CPA may be acceptable as long as you're maintaining a strong return on ad spend.

How does product price impact CPA benchmarks?

Higher-priced products typically have a higher CPA because people take longer to convert. That's not necessarily a problem if your margin can support it. You should measure CPA in context with AOV and LTV.

Why are my purchase costs going up despite stable ROAS?

Your AOV may be increasing, which helps maintain ROAS even if CPA rises. You could also be facing higher CPMs, lower conversion rates, or creative fatigue.

Should I use manual bidding to control CPA more effectively?

Manual bidding can help if you're struggling to stay within target CPA. It's best used by experienced advertisers who can monitor performance and adjust regularly. It gives more control, but also requires more effort.

How do I scale spend without letting CPA skyrocket?

Increase budget gradually, rotate creative often, and avoid overlapping audiences. Scaling too quickly can lead to audience saturation and rising CPAs.