Facebook Ads CPM Benchmarks in India

Introduction

Across all industries in India, Facebook Ads CPMs sit dramatically below the global benchmark, but the year tells a nuanced story: a sharp January surge, a steady cool-down through midyear, a brief early‑fall lift, and a fresh dip into November. Volatility is modest in dollar terms yet meaningful relative to India’s very low price level. Meanwhile, the global market tightens into Q4, widening the gap late in the year. 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 India compared to the global benchmark.

The story in the data

India’s CPM averaged about $1.98 across the period (Dec 2024–Nov 2025). It opened at $2.28 in December, spiked to a yearly high of $4.08 in January, then fell 56% in February to $1.79. From March through July, CPMs moved within a tight $1.57–$2.30 band, with a spring plateau around $1.63–$2.30. August marked a trough at $1.39 before a modest rebound in September ($1.75) and October ($1.97). The year’s low came in November at $1.14, closing roughly 50% below December’s starting point and 72% below the January peak.

Month-over-month swings in India averaged $0.65, led by two standout moves: the January lift (+$1.79) and the February correction (−$2.29). Outside of those, changes were restrained, often within ±$0.36. By comparison, the global benchmark averaged $19.92 over the same months, moving about $1.20 per month on average.

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

Seasonally, India’s CPMs were front-loaded: Q1 averaged roughly $2.70, with January providing the uplift. Q2 softened to about $1.83, and Q3 eased further to around $1.60, with August the softest month. Q4 was mixed: a brief October lift gave way to November’s annual low, a pattern that diverges from the typical late-year tightness seen in many markets.

Globally, CPMs started softer in January (~$17.80), rose gradually through Q2 and Q3 (hovering near $19.2–$20.1), and firmed into Q4 (October ~$21.44, November ~$25.47). The baseline shows a pronounced year-end escalation, with an extraordinary December spike to $84 (beyond India’s available window), underscoring classic Q4 competition.

India vs. Global

Across all months, India remained well below market: its $1.98 average CPM was about 90% under the global $19.92. The narrowest gap occurred in January, when India reached 23% of the global level (still 77% below). For most of the year, India hovered at 4–12% of global CPMs, with the widest gap in November (roughly 95% below). Trendlines diverged: global CPMs climbed about 43% from January to November, while India receded 50% from December to November and 72% from its January high to November low. In volatility terms, India was steadier in dollars but more variable relative to its price level (monthly swing ~33% of its average vs. ~6% globally).

Closing

This CPM analysis of Facebook Ads benchmarks for all industries in India highlights consistently lower country-specific ad costs versus the global market, a front-loaded surge, a midyear lull, and a late-year divergence from global Q4 inflation. Understanding CPM benchmarks alongside broader Facebook Ads benchmarks, CPC trends, and CTR performance helps frame India’s industry ad performance against worldwide patterns.