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Facebook Ads Cost Per Purchase Benchmarks for Media in South Africa

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Cost Per Purchase for Media in South Africa

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Facebook Ads cost per purchase benchmarks: October 2024–August 2025

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

Key takeaways

  • Across overlapping months, South Africa’s Media cost per purchase averaged 73.46, about 51% above the global baseline average of 48.50—clearly above market for most of the period.
  • Volatility is high in South Africa: average month-to-month swing was 52.88 versus 3.73 globally (≈14x more volatile), with a February spike and a sharp mid-year collapse.
  • Highest month in South Africa was February 2025 at 166.25 (about 3.1x the global high of 53.89 in the same month). Lowest was July 2025 at 0.09.
  • From first to last observed month, South Africa fell 95.9% (Oct 2024 to Aug 2025), while the global baseline slipped just 2.1% over the same window.
  • Seasonal context: the global trend rose from November into December–February and softened mid-year; South Africa followed the early-year rise but showed an unusually steep July–August drop.

Scope and data notes

  • Metric: cost per purchase (median by month).
  • Industry: Media. Country: South Africa.
  • Months available for South Africa: Oct–Dec 2024, Jan–Feb 2025, Jul–Aug 2025 (gaps elsewhere). Baseline includes all months but comparisons below use the overlapping months only.

South Africa (Media) trend highlights

  • Average: 73.46 across 7 months.
  • High/low: peak in Feb 2025 at 166.25; trough in Jul 2025 at 0.09.
  • First-to-last change: 103.90 in Oct 2024 to 4.36 in Aug 2025 (−95.9%).
  • Notable moves:
  • Oct → Nov: down 40.6% (103.90 → 61.66).
  • Nov → Dec: up 36.7% (61.66 → 84.29).
  • Dec → Jan: up 11.1% (84.29 → 93.63).
  • Jan → Feb: up 77.6% (93.63 → 166.25).
  • Feb → Jul: down 99.95% (166.25 → 0.09).
  • Jul → Aug: up to 4.36 (+~49x from July), still far below earlier months.
  • Overall volatility: average absolute month-to-month change of 52.88, with the largest swing occurring between February and July.

Comparison to global baseline

  • Average (overlapping months): Global 48.50 vs South Africa 73.46 (+51% in South Africa).
  • High/low: Global high 53.89 (Feb 2025); low 43.19 (Nov 2024). South Africa’s Feb peak (166.25) was ≈3.1x higher; July and August were well below global norms.
  • Stability: Global month-to-month changes were modest (avg 3.73), trending from 43.19 in Nov to a Q1 high (53.89), then easing to mid-year levels around 45–46.
  • Relative positioning by period:
  • Q4 2024 and early 2025 (Oct–Feb): South Africa consistently above market (from 1.4x to 3.1x global).
  • Mid-year (Jul–Aug 2025): South Africa well below average (0.00–0.10x global), indicating an atypical dip relative to the broader market.

Seasonal patterns

  • Global data shows a typical rise from late Q4 into Q1 (Dec–Feb) with softer costs mid-year.
  • South Africa mirrored the early-year lift (notably February), but diverged sharply in July–August with a pronounced drop that is not reflected in the global baseline.

Understanding cost per purchase benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry Media 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 Media 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.