Isfahan boasts one of Iran's most robust and diversified regional economies. While precise current GDP figures are difficult to confirm due to national economic opacities and inflation, Isfahan is universally recognized as the industrial heartland of Iran. It produces a significant percentage of the country's GDP outside of the oil sector.
The cost of living is generally lower than in the capital, Tehran, but has been subject to the same severe inflationary pressures affecting the rest of the country. Economic strengths include heavy industry, advanced manufacturing, and a massive tourism sector driven by domestic and international visitors attracted to its UNESCO sites.