How Much Do Facebook & Meta Ads Cost in Melbourne? (2026)

Every Melbourne trade or service business owner asks the same question before running Facebook and Instagram ads: how much will this actually cost? The answer has two parts — the money you spend directly with Meta (ad spend) and the fee you pay someone to build, manage and optimise the campaigns (management fee). Mixing the two up leads to bad decisions, so let us split them out clearly.

Ad spend vs management fee

Ad spend is what Meta charges you to show your ads. It goes straight to Meta and is usually billed to a credit card or PayPal account. Management fee is what you pay an agency or freelancer to write the copy, design the creative, build the audiences, set up tracking and monitor performance. Think of it like petrol versus the mechanic: the ad spend is the fuel, the management fee keeps the engine running properly.

In Melbourne in 2026, agency management fees for Meta ads typically range from $800 to $2,500 a month depending on complexity. A simple lead-generation campaign for one service in one area sits at the lower end. Multiple services, locations, offers and creative tests push it higher. Be wary of anyone charging a percentage of ad spend with no cap — it removes the incentive to make your account more efficient.

Realistic monthly budgets for a Melbourne service business

For a local service business, the minimum useful ad spend is usually $30 to $80 a day, or roughly $900 to $2,400 a month. Below that, Meta cannot exit the learning phase fast enough to test audiences and creative properly, so cost per lead stays inflated. If you are in a competitive trade like concreting, roofing or bathroom renovations, plan for the upper half of that range.

That means a realistic total monthly outlay for a managed Meta ads campaign is roughly $1,700 to $4,900 — management fee plus ad spend combined. It sounds like a lot until you compare it to the value of one extra job a month. A single bathroom renovation, deck build or commercial painting job can cover several months of advertising.

Typical cost per lead by trade and job value

Cost per lead is the number that matters. Here are rough Melbourne ranges we see for well-run campaigns in 2026:

• Cleaning, gardening, minor repairs: $8 to $25 per lead.
• Painting, flooring, tiling, fencing: $25 to $65 per lead.
• Bathrooms, kitchens, decks, extensions: $60 to $150 per lead.
• Roofing, commercial fit-outs, large renovations: $100 to $300+ per lead.

Higher job value usually means higher cost per lead, but the math still works because one conversion is worth more. A $200 lead that turns into a $40,000 renovation is a bargain. A $15 lead for a $120 clean is also fine if you close well. The key is tracking which leads become quotes and jobs, not just counting form fills.

What drives Meta ads cost up or down

• Audience targeting. Broad local audiences are cheaper but lower intent; tighter audiences cost more per impression but convert better.
• Creative quality. Good before/afters, videos and customer proof get cheaper clicks and more leads.
• Competition. More advertisers in your area and trade push auction prices up, especially in spring and before holidays.
• Seasonality. Renovation trades often see higher costs in peak months and cheaper leads in quieter periods.
• Landing page. A slow, confusing site wastes ad spend. A fast, clear <a href="/services/lead-generating-websites-melbourne">lead-generating website</a> lowers cost per lead across every campaign.

How to know if it is profitable

Profitability is not about cost per click or even cost per lead. It is about cost per qualified enquiry, cost per quote and return on ad spend. Set up a simple tracker: lead source, date, service, quote value, won or lost, and job value. After sixty to ninety days you will know exactly what a Meta lead is worth to you.

If your cost per lead is within the ranges above and you close one in four to one in six leads, Meta ads are almost certainly profitable. If leads are cheap but none convert, the problem is usually targeting, creative or follow-up speed, not the platform.

The short version

Plan $30 to $80 a day in ad spend plus a management fee for a properly run Meta ads campaign in Melbourne. Watch cost per lead, but judge success by cost per qualified job. Want a realistic forecast for your trade and area? Request a free strategy session and we will run the numbers with you.