Every founder asks the same question: "What should I be paying per lead in the UAE?" The honest answer is — it depends. But here are the real numbers from AED 18M+ in managed spend across our portfolio in the last twelve months.
Meta (Facebook + Instagram)
Meta remains the workhorse for UAE B2C. CPMs have inflated meaningfully in retail and beauty, while services categories are still relatively cheap.
- Beauty & Cosmetics — AED 38–55 CPM, AED 28–45 CPL
- F&B / Restaurants — AED 22–34 CPM, AED 9–18 CPL
- Real Estate — AED 60–90 CPM, AED 80–180 CPL
- Home Services — AED 28–42 CPM, AED 35–70 CPL
Google Search & Performance Max
Search remains the highest-intent channel. CPCs vary wildly by category — competitive verticals like real estate and legal can hit AED 25+ per click, while niche services stay under AED 5.
- Real Estate — AED 18–28 CPC, conversion rate 3-6%
- Healthcare / Clinics — AED 8–14 CPC, conversion rate 5-9%
- Education — AED 6–11 CPC, conversion rate 4-7%
- Local services — AED 3–7 CPC, conversion rate 8-14%
TikTok — the cheapest reach in the UAE
TikTok CPMs are still 40-60% lower than Meta for comparable audiences. For brands targeting under-35 buyers, it's the highest-leverage place to test creative right now.
Snap — small but mighty for Gen Z
Snap remains underrated for Gen Z reach in Saudi and the UAE. CPMs hover around AED 12-20 for most categories. Use it for awareness, not last-click conversion.
Cheaper clicks don't matter if they don't convert. Always benchmark cost-per-customer, not cost-per-click.
What to do on Monday morning
- Benchmarks are starting points — your offer and creative move them ±50%
- TikTok is the cheapest reach in the GCC for under-35 audiences
- Real estate, beauty and legal are the most expensive paid verticals
- Always optimize for CAC and LTV — not for CPM or CPC
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