How much do Facebook and Instagram ads cost in Moldova

“How much does advertising cost?” is the first question every business owner asks. The honest answer: Facebook and Instagram have no fixed price list. You set the budget and the system sells impressions through an auction. Still, you can work out a sensible starting amount — here is how.

What the budget is made of

• Ad spend. The money you pay directly to Meta for showing your ads.
• Specialist or agency work. Strategy, campaign setup, analytics and regular optimisation.
• Creatives. Photos, videos and copy. The ad itself has the biggest impact on cost per result.

What drives the cost per enquiry

The same budget can bring 20 enquiries or 200. The difference comes down to a few factors:

• Niche and average order value. An enquiry for a tailored dress costs less than one for building a house — and that is normal.
• The offer. A clear offer with a specific benefit beats generic “high quality, low price” wording.
• The creative. Real photos and videos almost always outperform stock images.
• Where the ad leads. A messenger conversation is usually cheaper than a website lead, but it needs fast replies.
• Season and competition. Before holidays the auction gets more expensive in every niche.

The numbers we see in projects

In our case studies for local businesses in Moldova, the cost per conversation ranged from about €0.70 to €2.80: online English lessons — about €2.80, a women’s tailoring atelier — about €0.70, an Apple repair service — about €1. This is a reference point, not a promise: your niche will have its own numbers, and the only way to find them is to test.

How much to plan for the start

Meta’s algorithm needs data. An ad set leaves the learning phase after roughly 50 optimisation events per week — until then results are unstable. That gives a simple way to calculate:

• estimate the expected cost per enquiry (start with a margin);
• multiply it by 50 — that is the weekly budget for one ad set;
• allow at least 3–4 weeks of testing before drawing conclusions.

A smaller budget does not mean you cannot launch. It does mean fewer campaigns and audiences, so the money is not spread too thin.

How to lower the cost per enquiry

• Test several creatives at once and switch off the weak ones.
• Reply to messages within minutes — response speed directly affects sales.
• Set up the pixel and events so the algorithm learns from real leads.
• Use retargeting for people who showed interest but did not write.
• Track cost per lead and per sale, not cost per click.

Takeaway

The cost of advertising is not a “placement fee” but the result of your niche, offer, creatives and how you handle enquiries. Start with a test on a small but sufficient budget, measure the cost per enquiry and scale what pays off. If you need a calculation for your niche, send us a request and we will prepare a forecast.