Digital Advertising Costs in East Africa: The Complete Guide for 2026

East Africa is one of the most cost-effective regions in the world for digital advertising. Businesses in Burundi, Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania can reach thousands of potential customers for a fraction of what companies pay in North America or Europe.

This guide provides real pricing data based on campaigns managed across the region.

Google Ads Costs in East Africa

Google Ads in East Africa operates on a cost-per-click (CPC) model. You only pay when someone clicks your ad.

Average CPCs by country: - Burundi: $0.05 – $0.30 - Rwanda: $0.08 – $0.40 - Kenya: $0.10 – $0.50 - Uganda: $0.05 – $0.35 - Tanzania: $0.08 – $0.40

Why the variation? Kenya has the most competitive digital market in East Africa, so Kenyan CPCs tend to be highest. Burundi and Uganda have the lowest because fewer businesses are advertising, meaning less competition in the auction.

Recommended monthly budgets: - Minimum viable: $25/month (testing phase) - Small business: $50 – $100/month - Growing business: $200 – $500/month - Established company: $500 – $2,000/month

Facebook and Instagram Ads Costs

Meta Ads (Facebook and Instagram) charge based on impressions (CPM — cost per 1,000 views) or clicks.

Average CPMs by country: - Burundi: $0.80 – $3.00 - Rwanda: $1.00 – $4.00 - Kenya: $1.50 – $5.00 - Uganda: $0.80 – $3.50 - Tanzania: $1.00 – $3.50

For context, the average CPM in the United States is $10 to $30. East African businesses pay 5 to 10 times less to reach the same number of people.

Average cost per lead (using Instant Forms): - Burundi: $0.50 – $2.00 - Rwanda: $1.00 – $3.00 - Kenya: $1.50 – $4.00

Instant Forms — where users fill out a lead form without leaving Facebook — produce the cheapest leads in East Africa. This is the recommended format for service businesses.

TikTok Ads Costs

TikTok is growing rapidly in East Africa, particularly among users aged 18 to 30.

Current pricing: - CPM: $1.00 – $4.00 - Cost per click: $0.05 – $0.25 - Minimum daily budget: $5/day

TikTok ads are especially effective for consumer products, entertainment, food delivery, and fashion. The platform's algorithm is strong at finding your target audience even with broad targeting settings.

LinkedIn Ads Costs

LinkedIn is the most expensive platform in East Africa, but it targets professionals and decision-makers — making it valuable for B2B companies.

Average costs: - CPM: $5.00 – $15.00 - CPC: $1.00 – $5.00 - Cost per lead: $5.00 – $20.00

LinkedIn is recommended only for businesses selling to other businesses — consulting firms, software companies, financial services. For consumer-facing businesses, Facebook and Google offer much better value.

What Affects Your Costs

Five factors determine what you actually pay:

1. 1Audience size. Targeting Bujumbura (population 1M) costs less than targeting all of Kenya (population 55M) because there is less competition for the smaller audience.
2. 2Ad quality. Platforms reward engaging ads with lower costs. A video ad with high watch time costs less per result than a static image nobody clicks.
3. 3Industry. Finance, insurance, and real estate have the highest CPCs. Restaurants, retail, and entertainment have the lowest.
4. 4Time of year. December and January see higher costs as businesses increase advertising for the holiday season.
5. 5Landing page quality. Google in particular charges less per click when your website is fast, relevant, and mobile-friendly.

How to Start With $50 Per Month

A total budget of $50 per month — split between Google and Facebook — is enough to generate 15 to 40 leads per month in most East African markets.

Recommended split: - Google Ads: $25/month ($0.80/day) — captures people searching for your service - Facebook Ads: $25/month ($0.80/day) — reaches people who match your customer profile

This is not a theoretical recommendation. Businesses across Burundi, Rwanda, and Kenya are generating real customers at these budget levels today.

The Opportunity

East Africa's digital advertising market is projected to exceed $500 million by 2027. But today, the vast majority of businesses have not started advertising online. This gap between growing internet usage and low advertiser competition creates a window of opportunity.

The businesses that begin building their online advertising presence now will have established audiences, optimized campaigns, and competitive advantages that new entrants will struggle to match.