Understand how your CPC compares. Dive into benchmark data by industry, region, and campaign type
November 2024 - November 2025
Detailed observation of presented data
The headline is clear: Recreation and Travel CPC in the United Arab Emirates ran dramatically below the global Facebook Ads benchmarks throughout the period, with a steep downward arc and a few sharp jolts along the way. The series opened relatively elevated in November, slid through winter, hit a decisive floor in May, then staged a brief rebound before softening again into late summer. The pattern is choppy at the local level, while the global curve trends lower at a steadier pace.
This analysis is based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks. This analysis explores ad performance trends for Recreation and Travel in the United Arab Emirates compared to the global benchmark.
Volatility, in absolute terms, averaged 0.05 points month over month (versus 0.06 globally). Relative to each market’s typical level, however, the United Arab Emirates was far more turbulent: average monthly swings equaled roughly 65% of its local mean CPC, compared with about 6% for the global series.
Seasonally, the data sketches a familiar arc but with outsized amplitude. Q4 began elevated and quickly cooled into December. Early Q1 saw a modest January uptick before renewed softening through March. April stabilized slightly, then May set the period’s floor. June delivered a notable rebound, but the momentum did not hold; July eased, and August–September drifted lower again. This rhythm contrasts with the global pattern, where CPC typically trends higher into Q4 and decompresses into Q1, followed by smaller mid-year oscillations.
The gap to the global benchmark was wide and persistent. The United Arab Emirates averaged roughly 93% below global CPCs for Recreation and Travel. At its narrowest in November, the local CPC sat about 80% below global levels (0.29 vs. 1.47). At its widest in May, it was 99.8% below (0.002 vs. 1.11). In September, the United Arab Emirates closed the period at 0.015 while the global benchmark printed 0.95—approximately 98% below.
Trend lines diverged as well. The global benchmark declined a measured 35% from November to September, with gentle bumps in March and midsummer. The United Arab Emirates, by contrast, traced a sharper descent (−95%) punctuated by a brief mid-year recovery. In level terms, the market remained “below average” every month versus global CPC trends, but it was “more volatile” in relative terms.
In sum, Facebook Ads CPC trends for Recreation and Travel in the United Arab Emirates show consistently lower country-specific ad costs than the global benchmark, with a pronounced late-spring trough and a short-lived early-summer rebound. Understanding CPC benchmarks for Recreation and Travel in the United Arab Emirates helps contextualize industry ad performance against global patterns and frames how this market’s cost curve has evolved over the past year.
Insights & analysis of Facebook advertising costs
Cost Per Click (CPC) is the amount advertisers pay each time a user clicks on their Facebook ad. In the Recreation and Travel industry, Facebook ad costs can be influenced by seasonal trends and market competition. For campaigns targeting United Arab Emirates, 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.
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.
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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Ramadan + Eid (Mar–Apr), End of November–December (UAE National Day, Christmas, New Year), Dubai Shopping Festival (mid-Dec through Jan)
CPMs may rise sharply during Ramadan and Eid, especially in e‑commerce, gifting, F&B, and beauty sectors. UAE National Day campaigns could lead to high local bidding activity in travel, banking, and luxury retail. Dubai Shopping Festival drives elevated CPMs from mid-December to mid-January. Islamic holidays shift each year, affecting year-over-year comparisons.
CPC (Cost Per Click) is what you pay each time someone clicks on your ad, on any Facebook Ads placement. It's calculated by dividing your total spend by the number of clicks received. Facebook Ads lists Clicks, Link Clicks and Outbound Clicks separately. The former is the sum of all types of clicks (including, for example, clicks to your profile page, to a link or to a comment).
The truth is that varies, so play with our tool to get some benchmarks that are relevant to you. CPC values are highly dependent on the region, industry and campaign objective. The US is one of the most expensive markets.
Several factors affect CPC: your audience targeting, competition in your industry, ad relevance score, and creative performance. If your ad isn't getting engagement or relevance is low, CPC tends to spike.
CPC spikes usually happen because of increased competition in your target audience, seasonal trends (like holidays), poor ad relevance scores, or algorithm changes. Check if your audience targeting has become too narrow or if your creative is showing fatigue.
Yes, there's a noticeable difference between platforms. Mobile CPCs often run lower than desktop. How many times do check Instagram on your phone and how often do you open it in your computer? There's simply much more mobile inventory. Tip: segment your performance data by placement to understand where your clicks are coming from. Spoiler: it's likely all mobile.
For most businesses, optimizing for conversions will deliver much better ROI than focusing purely on CPC. A low CPC is meaningless if those clicks don't convert. However, if you're running awareness campaigns or some kind content promotion, CPC optimization might potentially make sense, although most experts have switched to conversion optimization by now.
Your specific audience targeting, creative quality, bidding strategy, and account history all influence your CPC. Industry averages provide a reference point, but your historical performance is a more reliable benchmark for setting expectations and measuring improvement.
Instagram CPCs are generally slightly higher due to stronger purchase intent and higher competition among advertisers. But it depends on the audience and creative.
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