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Facebook Ads Cost Per Purchase Benchmarks in South Africa

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

Cost Per Purchase in South Africa

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Key takeaways

  • This analysis examines cost per purchase trends for industry All industries available in South Africa versus the global baseline, based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks.
  • South Africa’s median cost per purchase is highly volatile, with an extreme spike in December 2024 and intermittent near-zero months elsewhere.
  • Across overlapping months, South Africa’s average is 46.53, about 4.6% below the global average of 48.78. Excluding the December spike, the local average drops to 20.61, placing it well below market.
  • Seasonality shows a sharp December peak in South Africa, while the global trend is stable with a mild rise into Q1 and a softening into mid-year.

Scope and framing

This report summarizes monthly median cost per purchase benchmarks and compares South Africa (industry: All industries available) to the global trend to indicate whether local costs run above market, below average, or in line with overall trends.

South Africa: highlights and volatility

  • Average (all months provided): 46.53.
  • High: 305.77 in December 2024 (notable outlier).
  • Low: 0.12 in July 2025.
  • First-to-last change: from 37.98 in September 2024 to 0.18 in August 2025 (down 99.5%).
  • Volatility:
  • Massive increase from November to December 2024 (near-zero to 305.77), followed by a sharp reset in January 2025 (down 90% month over month).
  • After March 2025 (61.33), costs trended down or near-zero (May at 4.89, June at 23.02, July at 0.12, August at 0.18).
  • Typical level (excluding December outlier): 20.61, indicating generally low-to-moderate costs with sporadic spikes.

Global baseline: stability and seasonality

  • Average (overlapping months): 48.78.
  • High: 53.89 in February 2025; low: 43.19 in November 2024.
  • First-to-last change (Sep 2024 to Aug 2025): down 2.0%.
  • Pattern: relatively tight band (range ~10.7), with a mild rise into Q1 (peaking in February) and gradual easing into summer.

South Africa vs. global baseline

  • Relative level:
  • Overall average 4.6% below market; excluding December, South Africa is about 58% below the baseline average.
  • Above/below market months:
  • Above market: 2 of 11 months (December 2024, March 2025).
  • Below average: 9 of 11 months (notably October–November 2024 and July–August 2025 near zero; May–June 2025 well below).
  • Range comparison: South Africa’s range (~305.65) vastly exceeds the global range (~10.69), underscoring extreme local volatility.
  • Seasonal signals:
  • South Africa shows a pronounced December spike in cost per purchase.
  • The global baseline remains steady, with a gentle Q1 lift and slight mid-year softening.

Understanding cost per purchase benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry All industries available 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. Different industries see varying ad costs due to market competition, user demographics, and conversion value. 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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