Healthcare marketing Q&A · ICG Editorial

What is a good CPQL benchmark for Indian healthcare in 2026?

Indian healthcare CPQL benchmarks for 2026 (Cost Per Qualified Lead, ICG portfolio data): IVF ₹1,800-₹4,500; aesthetic dermatology ₹1,200-₹2,800; medical dermatology ₹800-₹1,800; plastic surgery ₹3,500-₹8,000; hair transplant ₹2,000-₹4,500; dental ₹600-₹1,500; ophthalmology ₹900-₹2,200; orthopaedic ₹1,500-₹3,500; cardiology ₹2,500-₹5,500; multi-specialty hospitals ₹1,400-₹3,200. Metros run 1.5-2× tier-2 cities.

Detailed answers

Dental ranks lowest in CPQL (₹600-₹1,500) because of high local search volume, short patient consideration cycles, and low ad keyword competition relative to other specialties. Ophthalmology (₹900-₹2,200) and medical dermatology (₹800-₹1,800) follow.

Plastic and cosmetic surgery (₹3,500-₹8,000) ranks highest, followed by hair transplant (₹2,000-₹4,500) and cardiology (₹2,500-₹5,500). The driver is high CPC plus longer patient consideration cycles plus stricter platform advertising eligibility.

Metro CPQL runs 1.5-2× tier-2 city CPQL across all specialties. Mumbai is the highest-cost market; Bangalore second; Delhi NCR third. Tier-2 cities (Lucknow, Patna, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Pune) sit at the base benchmark; metros at the top of the range.

ICG benchmarks aggregate from 150+ active healthcare clients across India. Data is anonymised at the brand level and reported as ranges (not single values) to preserve confidentiality. Updates are published quarterly via the ICG CPQL benchmark report.

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