Facebook Ads CPM Benchmarks in Australia

Introduction

Australia’s CPMs sat comfortably below the global benchmark for most of the year, then surged to parity during November’s peak auctions before settling back down in December. The overall rhythm reads as muted first-half costs, a mid-year lift, and an outsized Q4 spike that was sharper than the global pattern. Volatility was generally contained, yet Q4 introduced the kind of whiplash that defines shopping-season CPM analysis.

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 all industries in Australia compared to the global benchmark.

The story in the data

Across all industries in Australia, Facebook Ads CPMs averaged about $15.57 from December 2024 to December 2025, versus a global average near $20.04. The year started at $14.21 in December 2024, dipped to the low at $12.89 in February, and then hovered in a tight band around $13.85–$14.31 through June. A step-up followed: $16.71 in July, $16.83 in August, and $16.35 in September. October slipped to $14.10, before the year’s high arrived in November at $25.03. December eased back to $16.61, ending the period up roughly 17% from the prior December.

The range was wide—$12.89 to $25.03, a 12.14-point spread. Month-over-month movement averaged 2.36 points, markedly shaped by Q4 swings (+10.93 points in November, then −8.42 points in December). Two-thirds of monthly transitions shifted by 1.5 points or less, highlighting a relatively steady market outside of the Q3 lift and the November spike.

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

Seasonality is clear in the cadence:

• Q1 softened, bottoming in February before a March rebound.
• Q2 was steady, with CPMs clustering around the mid-$13 to $14 range.
• Q3 lifted into the mid-$16s, signaling firmer demand through July–September.
• Q4 diverged from the gentle build often seen globally: Australia dipped in October, then leapt to a November peak consistent with sale-season inflation, with a December normalization that remained higher than mid-year but well below November’s apex.

This rhythm reflects country-specific ad costs that remained modest for most of the year and then compressed into a short, intense pricing window around November.

Country vs. Global

Relative to Facebook Ads benchmarks globally, Australia ran below market most months:

• Average gap: approximately 22% lower ($15.57 vs. $20.04).
• The widest gap appeared in October (about 34% below the global $21.37).
• The narrowest gap came in November—near parity (Australia $25.03 vs. global $25.02).
• From January to September and again in December, Australia typically trailed by 13–29%.

Trendwise, both Australia and the global benchmark ended higher year over year (Australia +17%, Global +12%). However, Australia was more volatile: average month-to-month change of 2.36 points, versus 1.28 for the global series. Both hit their annual high in November near $25, underscoring the universal pressure of Q4 auctions.

Closing

Understanding Facebook Ads CPM benchmarks for all industries in Australia clarifies country-specific ad costs and how they track versus the global CPM analysis. This data-grounded view of industry ad performance in Australia highlights a year of subdued costs punctuated by a sharp November peak closely aligned with worldwide patterns.