Ask ten agencies what Facebook ads cost and you’ll get ten versions of “it depends.” So here are the actual 2026 numbers for Australian businesses, and the budget below which the whole exercise stops working.
The numbers, for Australian audiences
- CPM (per 1,000 impressions): $8 to $18
- CPC (per link click): $0.70 to $2.50
- Cost per lead: $15 to $80
These cover Facebook and Instagram together. Finance, legal and real estate sit at the top of every range because the audiences are worth more to advertisers. Local services and e-commerce usually sit lower.
Two costs people confuse
Your total spend splits in two.
- Ad spend goes to Meta and buys the impressions. You set it.
- Management pays for someone to build, test and improve the campaigns. That’s your own time, or an agency fee, commonly $500 to $2,000 a month for small accounts.
Spend $1,000 with nobody minding it and you’ll often do worse than $600 spent well.
Cost per lead by industry (Australia, 2026)
| Industry | Typical cost per lead |
|---|---|
| Local trades and home services | $20 to $45 |
| E-commerce (cost per purchase) | $15 to $50 |
| Health and beauty | $18 to $40 |
| Professional services | $40 to $80 |
| Real estate and finance | $50 to $120 |
The smallest budget worth running
Under about $25 to $30 a day, roughly $750 to $900 a month, Meta can’t gather enough data to improve the campaign, and your results bounce around. If your budget is tighter than that, pour it all into one focused campaign instead of splitting it across five.
What moves the number
Four levers change your cost more than anything else.
- Creative. A video that stops the scroll can halve your cost per result overnight. Most businesses ignore this and then wonder why their ads are dear.
- Audience. Narrow, high-value audiences cost more per impression.
- Offer. A sharp offer turns cheap clicks into cheap customers.
- Landing page. Send paid traffic to a slow or vague page and you waste every dollar that got them there.
Run it yourself or hire out
Under about $1,000 a month with time to learn, doing it yourself is fine. Once spend climbs, or the ads tie into a bigger plan, professional Facebook ads management usually saves more than it costs by cutting waste. Ads also convert better when they sit alongside steady organic social media that builds trust first.
Frequently asked questions
How much should a small business spend on Facebook ads?
Start near $750 to $1,000 a month in ad spend, plus management. Below about $25 to $30 a day, Meta can’t gather enough data to improve your results.
Why are my Facebook ads not getting leads?
Usually weak creative, a vague offer, or a slow landing page. Fix those three before blaming the budget.
What’s a good cost per lead on Facebook in Australia?
Between $15 and $80, depending on your industry. Local trades and e-commerce sit at the low end; finance and real estate sit at the high end.
A serious Facebook ads effort for an Australian small business starts near $750 to $1,000 a month in spend, plus management. Judge it on cost per lead and return on ad spend. Clicks and likes don’t pay wages. Ask us for a free review of your account.