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Facebook Ads Cost Per Purchase Benchmarks for Marketing & Advertising in South Africa

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Cost Per Purchase for Marketing & Advertising in South Africa

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Key takeaways

  • Based on $3B in advertising data that provides strong directional benchmarks, cost per purchase in Marketing & Advertising for South Africa trended below the global baseline overall, with sharp volatility and a steep decline into mid-2025.
  • Average level: South Africa averaged 35.75 per purchase across the observed months vs the global benchmark at 49.46 (about 27.7% lower).
  • Highs and lows: South Africa peaked in November 2024 at 100.82 and fell to a near-zero low of 0.087 in July 2025; the global series stayed in a narrow 43.19–53.89 range.
  • Volatility: Average month-to-month absolute change was ~40% in South Africa vs ~4.7% globally—meaning the selected series was far more erratic.
  • Direction of travel: From October 2024 to August 2025, South Africa fell by about 99.8%, while the global benchmark slipped a modest 2.1%.
  • Seasonality: South Africa showed elevated costs in Q4 (especially November), while the global trend was highest from December through February.

Scope and framing

This analysis looks at cost-per-purchase trends for the Marketing & Advertising industry in South Africa compared to the global trend. It uses monthly medians for each series.

South Africa trend (selected data)

  • Average and median: Average 35.75; median 34.13 across the months provided (Oct 2024–Aug 2025; June 2025 not available).
  • High and low:
  • High: 100.82 in November 2024.
  • Low: 0.087 in July 2025 (0.1185 in August).
  • Notable moves:
  • Oct → Nov 2024: +41.2% surge (71.41 to 100.82).
  • Nov → Dec 2024: -51.2% drop.
  • Mar → Apr 2025: -51.6% drop.
  • Apr → May 2025: -73.0% drop; by July, levels were near zero.
  • Overall change: From the first observed month (October 2024) to the last (August 2025), costs fell ~99.8%.

Comparison with the global baseline

  • Average level (same months): Global average 49.46 vs South Africa 35.75; South Africa was about 27.7% below market.
  • Highs and lows (same months):
  • Global high: 53.89 (February 2025).
  • Global low: 43.19 (November 2024).
  • Stability: Global moved within ~43–54, indicating a tight band vs South Africa’s broad 0.087–100.82 range.
  • Volatility:
  • South Africa: ~40.1% average absolute month-to-month change.
  • Global: ~4.7% average absolute month-to-month change.
  • Month-by-month positioning: South Africa was above the global median in 2 of 10 observed months (October and November 2024), then consistently below from December onward.

Seasonality and patterns

  • Q4 dynamics: South Africa’s Q4 2024 average (Oct–Dec) was 73.80—about 56.6% higher than the global Q4 average (47.13). A sharp decline began in December and continued through Q2.
  • Global pattern: The benchmark lifted from December into a February peak, consistent with year-end and early-year demand, before normalizing through mid-year.
  • Mid-2025: South Africa’s costs compressed dramatically by July–August, while the global series remained stable and in line with overall trends.

Understanding cost-per-purchase benchmarks on Facebook Ads in Marketing & Advertising 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 Marketing & Advertising 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 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.

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