Guide
YouTubeCPMRPMearningscountry comparison2026YouTube Earnings by Country: Real CPM and RPM Data for 2026
YouTube CPM rates vary from under $0.50 to over $20 per 1,000 views depending on where your viewers live. Understanding this geography of earnings is essential for any content creator trying to maximize income. This guide breaks down real CPM and RPM data by country, explains why the differences exist, and shows you how to use this knowledge to structure your content strategy.
Last updated: February 26, 2026
Step-by-Step Guide
Check your actual RPM in YouTube Studio Analytics
Go to YouTube Studio, then Analytics, then Revenue. Your RPM is the most important number — it's what you actually earn per 1,000 views. Compare this against the country averages in this guide to understand whether your channel is performing above or below typical for your audience geography.
Identify the geographic breakdown of your current audience
In YouTube Studio Analytics, check the Geography tab. This shows what percentage of your views come from each country. If 60% of your views come from India but your niche targets the US, consider whether your content or SEO strategy is reaching the wrong audience.
Adjust content topics toward higher-CPM niches within your subject area
You don't need to completely change your channel. Within most broad topics, some subtopics earn much more. A cooking channel doing recipe videos (low CPM) could add videos about kitchen appliances, meal planning for weight loss, or cooking as a side business — all of which attract higher-value advertisers.
Optimize for Q4 with content planned ahead of time
Plan and batch-create videos for October–December. CPMs are 30–60% higher in Q4 in most markets due to holiday advertising spend. Having 12–15 videos ready to publish through Q4 rather than scrambling in real time maximizes your earnings during this premium period.
Diversify income beyond AdSense to reduce CPM dependency
CPM fluctuates — you can't control it. Reduce your reliance on AdSense by building affiliate income, brand deals, and digital product sales. Creators who earn 40–60% of income from non-AdSense sources are far less vulnerable to the seasonal and algorithmic swings that affect CPM rates.
Understanding CPM vs RPM and why both matter
Two numbers matter for YouTube earnings: CPM (cost per mille — what advertisers pay per 1,000 ad impressions) and RPM (revenue per mille — what you actually receive per 1,000 video views after YouTube's 45% cut and accounting for views that don't show ads).
RPM is typically 40–60% of CPM. A channel with a $5 CPM might earn $2.50–$3.00 RPM. This is the number that goes into your bank account.
Why rates vary by country: YouTube's ad revenue is determined by advertiser demand in each market. US advertisers pay high CPMs because the average consumer spending power is high and the advertising market is competitive. Indian advertisers pay lower CPMs because average consumer spending is lower and the ad market, while large, has many more ad slots relative to advertiser budgets.
Niche also matters enormously and often outweighs country differences. A finance channel in India ($2–$5 CPM) can earn more per view than a gaming channel in the US ($1–$3 CPM). When analyzing earnings, always consider both geography and niche together.
CPM data by country in 2026
Average YouTube CPM ranges by country (across all niches, weighted average). These are realistic mid-range figures — actual CPMs fluctuate by season, niche, and channel age:
Tier 1 (Highest CPM):
- United States: $4–$12 (finance: up to $20)
- Norway: $5–$14
- Australia: $4–$11
- Switzerland: $4–$10
- United Kingdom: $3–$9
- Canada: $3–$8
- Germany: $3–$8
- New Zealand: $3–$7
- Sweden: $3–$7
Tier 2 (Mid CPM):
- Japan: $2–$6
- South Korea: $2–$5
- France: $2–$5
- Netherlands: $2–$5
- Spain: $1.50–$4
- Italy: $1.50–$4
- Brazil: $0.80–$3 (finance: up to $5)
- Mexico: $0.80–$2.50
Tier 3 (Lower CPM):
- India: $0.30–$1.50 (finance: $1–$4)
- Indonesia: $0.30–$1
- Philippines: $0.30–$0.90
- Vietnam: $0.25–$0.80
- Pakistan: $0.20–$0.60
- Bangladesh: $0.15–$0.50
The niche premium: why your content topic matters as much as your country
Country of your viewers explains roughly 50% of your CPM. The other 50% is determined by your content niche, because advertisers pay vastly different amounts to reach different audiences.
High CPM niches (across all countries, these earn premium rates):
- Personal finance and investing: 3–5x average CPM
- Legal services: 3–6x average CPM
- Real estate: 2–4x average CPM
- Software and SaaS (B2B): 3–5x average CPM
- Medical and healthcare: 2–4x average CPM
- Insurance: 3–5x average CPM
Average CPM niches:
- Technology and gadgets: 1–2x average
- Business and entrepreneurship: 1.5–3x average
- Cooking and food: 0.8–1.5x average
- Travel: 1–2x average
Low CPM niches:
- Entertainment and comedy: 0.5–1x average
- Gaming: 0.5–1.5x average
- Music: 0.4–0.8x average
Practical implication: A Brazilian personal finance channel (CPM $2–$5) earns more per view than a US gaming channel (CPM $1–$3). Country matters, but niche selection within your country can matter more.
How to increase your average CPM
You can actively improve your CPM by changing your content strategy, not just by hoping for better audiences.
Create content that attracts higher-spending viewer demographics: Finance, business, and technology content attracts viewers who earn more and spend more — which advertisers value highly. Even a partial pivot toward these topics raises your overall channel CPM.
Target Tier 1 English-speaking countries through SEO: If you make English content, optimize your titles and keywords for what Americans, Australians, and Canadians search. Ranking well on US-targeted search terms brings proportionally more Tier 1 viewers.
Post at times when Tier 1 markets are active: If you're targeting US viewers, uploading when Americans are most active (9am–2pm US Eastern) gives your content an early boost from high-CPM viewers.
Avoid copyright claims and ad-unfriendly content tags: Videos tagged with sensitive topics (violence, controversial politics) get reduced advertiser demand, which crushes CPM regardless of viewer country. Keep content advertiser-friendly.
Q4 is the highest-CPM period: October through December, particularly November (Black Friday) and December, sees CPMs 30–60% higher than the annual average across all countries. Increase posting frequency in Q4 to capture this premium.
Pro Tips
- Your RPM includes only views that generated ad revenue — many views don't serve ads (ad blockers, non-monetizable regions, skipped ads), so RPM is always lower than CPM
- Q4 CPMs (October–December) are 30–60% higher than the annual average — increase your upload frequency during this period
- Finance, legal, and insurance content earns 3–6x the CPM of entertainment content — even adding a few high-CPM videos to an entertainment channel raises your overall average
- New channels have lower CPMs than established ones — advertisers pay more to reach audiences on channels with long, trusted histories
- Using YouTube chapters (timestamp sections) improves viewer retention and ad load rates, which can modestly increase your effective CPM