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Facebook Ads Cost Per Purchase Benchmarks for Public Administration in South Africa

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

Cost Per Purchase for Public Administration in South Africa

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Key takeaways

  • This analysis looks at cost-per-purchase trends for industry Public Administration and target country South Africa compared to the global trend. No monthly data was available for the selected segment in the period provided, so direct comparison to the global baseline is not possible.
  • Globally, cost-per-purchase averaged 47.73 over Sep 2024–Sep 2025, peaking at 53.89 in Feb 2025 and bottoming at 32.29 in Sep 2025.
  • Clear seasonal pattern: costs rose through Q4 and into early Q1 (holiday and post-holiday momentum), then eased steadily into summer, followed by a sharp dip in Sep 2025.
  • Volatility was moderate: average month-to-month movement was about 2.99 (≈6.4%); overall change from first to last month was -30.7%.

The analysis is based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks.

Introduction and scope

We reviewed Facebook Ads benchmarks for cost-per-purchase, focusing on Public Administration in South Africa and comparing against the global baseline. Because the selected segment contains no data for the timeframe provided, the summary below highlights the global baseline as context for interpreting market-level pressure on acquisition costs.

Selected segment (Public Administration, South Africa)

  • Data availability: No monthly observations were provided for the selected segment, so averages, highs/lows, and month-to-month changes cannot be calculated.
  • Relative positioning versus market: Undetermined due to missing data.

Global baseline benchmark highlights

Period: Sep 2024 to Sep 2025 (monthly medians, all industries/countries).

  • Average cost-per-purchase: 47.73
  • High: 53.89 (Feb 2025)
  • Low: 32.29 (Sep 2025)
  • Range (high–low): 21.60
  • First to last month: 46.60 (Sep 2024) to 32.29 (Sep 2025), -30.7%

Volatility and month-to-month changes:

  • Average absolute monthly change: 2.99 (≈6.4%)
  • Notable movements:
  • Nov 2024 to Dec 2024: +19.3% jump into the holiday period (43.19 to 51.53)
  • Jan 2025 to Feb 2025: +3.0% to the annual high (52.31 to 53.89)
  • Aug 2025 to Sep 2025: -29.3% sharp dip (45.69 to 32.29)

Seasonal and monthly pattern highlights

  • Q4 uplift: After steady Oct levels, November–December showed a pronounced rise, consistent with higher competitive pressure and conversion values around holidays.
  • Early-year peak: Costs remained elevated into January and reached the period high in February.
  • Spring–summer easing: March through August trended down toward mid-40s to high-40s, indicating softer demand or improved efficiency.
  • September dip: A pronounced drop in September 2025 marked the lowest point of the series.

Comparison to the selected segment

  • Because no data is available for Public Administration in South Africa, the selected segment cannot be classified as above market, below average, or in line with overall trends for this period.
  • The global baseline provides context: elevated costs in Q4–Q1, easing into summer, and an exceptional dip in September.

Understanding cost-per-purchase benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry Public Administration 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 Public Administration 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.