Understand how your CPM compares. Dive into benchmark data by industry, region, and campaign type
January 2025 - January 2026
Detailed observation of presented data
E-commerce CPMs in the United Arab Emirates tracked below the global market for most of the year, but the local curve moved with far more energy. After a soft first half centered on a March low, United Arab Emirates CPMs staged two sharp lifts—first in September and again in January—closing the period at a 13‑month high and even overtaking global levels. In contrast, the global benchmark climbed into a classic November peak and then retreated sharply into January.
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 E-commerce in the United Arab Emirates compared to the global benchmark.
Across January 2025 to January 2026, E-commerce CPMs in the United Arab Emirates averaged $15.51, ranging from a low of $9.44 in March 2025 to a high of $23.77 in January 2026. The period opened at $13.21 (January 2025) and ended at $23.77, an 80% rise. Key inflection points defined the year: a swift lift from April to May (+$6.33, +66%), a late‑summer dip in August (−25% from July), an outsized September surge (+$10.62 month over month, +86%), and a pronounced December to January jump (+$8.19, +53%).
The month-to-month volatility averaged $3.83, indicating sharper swings than the steadier global pattern. By comparison, the global CPM benchmark averaged $19.81 with a narrower $1.63 average monthly move, peaking at $25.22 in November and bottoming at $15.74 in January 2026.
Seasonally, the United Arab Emirates market softened through Q1, landing at its trough in March. A spring recovery carried CPMs into May before summer zig‑zagged: a July lift followed by an August pullback. September stood out as a decisive jump, after which Q4 held at elevated but not extreme levels—October at $20.62, November at $18.74, and December at $15.58. The new year flipped the script: January 2026 spiked to $23.77, bucking the typical post‑holiday softening seen globally.
The global sequence was more classic: steady levels through mid‑year, a broad Q4 elevation culminating in a November high ($25.22), and then a sharp January cool‑off to $15.74.
Relative to Facebook Ads benchmarks worldwide, E-commerce CPMs in the United Arab Emirates ran 22% below the global average for the period ($15.51 vs. $19.81). In 2025 alone, the gap widened to 26% ($14.82 vs. $20.15). The market trailed in 10 of 13 months, with two notable over‑market prints: September 2025 (+15% vs. global) and January 2026 (+51%). The narrowest deficit came in October (−5% vs. global), while the widest underperformance appeared in March (−51%).
Trendwise, the global benchmark drifted lower from January 2025 to January 2026 (−11%), while the United Arab Emirates climbed higher on a choppier path (+80% over the same endpoints). The local series’ higher volatility and off‑cycle January spike contrasted with the global curve’s smoother Q4 crescendo and January reset.
This CPM analysis offers a clear view of Facebook Ads benchmarks for E-commerce in the United Arab Emirates: a below‑market average, higher month‑to‑month variability, and two standout surges—September and January—that reshaped country‑specific ad costs. Understanding CPM trends for E-commerce in the United Arab Emirates helps teams evaluate industry ad performance against the global benchmark and track market rhythm across the year.
Insights & analysis of Facebook advertising costs
Cost Per Mille (CPM) is the cost advertisers pay for 1,000 impressions of their Facebook ad. In the E-commerce industry, Facebook ad costs can be varied, with peaks during holiday seasons and competitive product categories. 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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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.
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.
CPMs are heavily influenced by competition, seasonality (e.g., Q4 costs more), audience size, and ad quality. Smaller audiences and lower relevance scores often lead to higher CPMs.
Different campaign objectives, bidding strategies, and even time of day can change your CPM. For example, conversion campaigns usually have higher CPMs than traffic ones. Also, broad targeting tends to drive lower CPMs.
In most industries, CPMs range from $5 to $18 depending on the region and objective. Retail and e-comm campaigns often sit at the higher end. Our live data above shows a breakdown by country and industry.
Both matter, but audience quality (intent + match with your offer) usually has more impact than pure size. However, extremely tight audiences often lead to expensive CPMs due to limited delivery opportunities.
Depends on your goal. For awareness, CPM is more relevant. For performance campaigns, CPC and CPA matter more. But all are connected—inefficient CPMs can inflate your entire funnel.
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