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Facebook Ads Cost Per Purchase Benchmarks for Recreation and Travel in Australia

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

Cost Per Purchase for Recreation and Travel in Australia

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

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

Main takeaways

  • Australia’s Recreation and Travel cost per purchase averaged 43.43 over the period, about 11.4% below the global baseline (49.02), indicating generally below-market costs.
  • The selected series is highly volatile: average month-to-month movement was ~31.0 versus just ~2.04 for the baseline.
  • Highs and lows were extreme in Australia (high: 81.95 in Feb 2025; low: 2.45 in Oct 2024) compared to the baseline’s narrower band (high: 53.89 in Feb 2025; low: 43.19 in Nov 2024).
  • From the first to last month, Australia declined 76.5% (Sep 2024 to Aug 2025), while the baseline slipped only 2.0%.
  • Seasonal patterns appeared in both series: costs were elevated in Q4 and peaked into Feb, then eased through mid-year.

Australia Recreation and Travel: monthly median cost per purchase

  • Average: 43.43 across Sep 2024–Aug 2025.
  • High: 81.95 in Feb 2025; secondary peaks at 75.45 (Apr) and 72.61 (Jan).
  • Low: 2.45 in Oct 2024; other troughs at 8.63 (Mar) and 14.83 (Aug).
  • Range: 79.49 (from 2.45 to 81.95), underscoring wide dispersion.
  • Change from first to last month: -76.5%.
  • Volatility: average month-to-month absolute change ~31.0. Notable swings:
  • Sep → Oct 2024: -96% (63.19 to 2.45).
  • Oct → Nov 2024: +1,657% (2.45 to 43.10).
  • Feb → Mar 2025: -89.5% (81.95 to 8.63).
  • Mar → Apr 2025: +774% (8.63 to 75.45).
  • Seasonality: despite outliers, costs generally climbed through Q4 into Jan–Feb, then trended down from May to Aug.

Global baseline comparison

  • Average: 49.02 over the same months, above Australia by ~11.4%.
  • High/low: 53.89 (Feb 2025) and 43.19 (Nov 2024); range 10.69, much tighter than Australia’s.
  • Trend: -2.0% from Sep 2024 to Aug 2025 (46.60 to 45.69), indicating stability.
  • Volatility: average month-to-month absolute move ~2.04, with the largest changes in Nov (+8.34 vs Oct) and Jun (-4.01 vs May).
  • Seasonal pattern: steady Q4 uplift and a peak in Feb, then a mild easing into mid-year.

What this means for benchmarking

  • Relative level: Australia’s Recreation and Travel cost per purchase was below average overall but exhibited outsized monthly swings, moving above market at peaks (e.g., Feb 2025 was ~52% higher than the baseline) and far below it at troughs (Oct 2024).
  • Seasonality: both the Australian series and the global trend show higher costs in late Q4 and into Feb, consistent with common holiday and early-year dynamics, followed by a gradual cooling through mid-year.

Understanding cost per purchase benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry Recreation and Travel and Australia 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 Recreation and Travel industry, Facebook ad costs can be influenced by seasonal trends and market competition. For campaigns targeting Australia, advertisers typically see good engagement rates despite moderate costs. 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.

Australia Advertising Landscape

National Holidays

Jan 1New Year's Day
Jan 27Australia Day (observed)
Apr 18‑21Easter weekend
Apr 25Anzac Day
Jun 9King's Birthday
Oct 6Labour Day
Dec 25Christmas Day
Dec 26Boxing Day

Key Shopping Season

Late December (Christmas and Boxing Day), Early December (Cyber Monday), January (Back-to-school), May (Mother's Day)

Potential Advertising Impact

Ad costs could spike around major holidays, especially Easter, Anzac Day, and Christmas. Increased budgets and earlier scheduling may be necessary. Retailers should consider planning promotions around back-to-school and Mother's Day to maximize campaign effectiveness.

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.