Facebook Ads Cost Per Purchase Benchmarks in India

Introduction

Across all industries in India, Facebook Ads cost-per-purchase (CPP) ran well below the global benchmark but moved through the year with far sharper swings. The period opened at 21.5 in November, surged to a March peak of 42.6, then fell into a mid-year trough before stabilizing near 21.1 by October. Compared to a relatively steady global path, India’s curve was a story of a strong Q1 lift, a steep Q2 reset, and a measured rebound into Q3 and early Q4. 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 India compared to the global benchmark.

The story in the data

India’s CPP averaged 18.8 over the 12 months, ranging from a low of 3.1 in July to a high of 42.6 in March. The year started at 21.5 in November, dipped to 10.6 in December (−51% month over month), then accelerated: 24.4 in January, 32.5 in February, and 42.6 in March. After that peak, CPP retraced to 28.7 in April and plunged to 6.0 in May and 3.8 in June, bottoming at 3.1 in July. Momentum turned upward in August (10.8) and September (19.8), ending at 21.1 in October—nearly flat versus the November starting point (−2% over the period).

Volatility in India averaged 9.1 points in absolute month-to-month changes, far choppier than the global benchmark’s 2.6. The largest single swing came in April to May (−79%), followed by a dramatic rebound from July to August (+247%). Despite the turbulence, the October finish effectively returned CPP to its early-period zone, underscoring a year defined more by path than by destination.

Globally, CPP averaged 49.3, with a relatively tight range from 42.6 (November) to 53.8 (February). The global series rose modestly into Q1 and eased through Q3 and Q4, ending at 43.3—up about 2% from November.

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

• Q1 strength: A sustained run-up from January through March culminated in the annual high, aligning with a period of stronger conversion costs globally.
• Q2 reset: April marked the inflection, followed by a pronounced trough in May–July, where CPP fell to single digits.
• Q3 recovery: CPP rebuilt through August and September, carrying through to an October reading in the low 20s.
• Holiday window: December was notably soft in India (10.6), contrasting with global CPP, which typically remains elevated into late Q4.

India vs. Global

India’s CPP was consistently below market—averaging about 62% under the global benchmark. The gap narrowed materially in February (−40%) and March (−19%), then widened sharply from May through July (−88% to −93%). By October, India sat roughly 51% below global levels, similar to the spread seen in November (−50%). In short: the global trend was stable and elevated (+2% from November to October), while India’s was lower and more volatile, tracing a steep first-half arc and a second-half recovery.

Closing

Understanding Facebook Ads cost-per-purchase benchmarks for all industries in India reveals a market with country-specific ad costs that sit well below global levels but move with greater amplitude. While CPC trends, CPM analysis, and CTR performance add depth to paid social benchmarking, this summary highlights CPP dynamics so advertisers can evaluate how industry ad performance in India compares to global Facebook Ads benchmarks.