The roof is a crucial component of the building envelope, significantly influencing indoor temperatures, especially in warm and humid climates. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of various roof systems in improving indoor temperature, positively impacting indoor climate, and reducing cooling loads. Focusing on a typical residential building in Kerala, India, known for its tropical climate, the study compares three roof types: green roofs, cool roofs, and PCM integrated roofs. An initial energy-exergy analysis is conducted to assess their thermal performance, followed by a comprehensive simulation using ANSYS software. This simulation considers multiple properties of each roof type to provide a holistic view of their thermal efficiencies. The findings aim to identify the most effective roof system for enhancing indoor comfort and energy efficiency in tropical climates. The green roof and PCM integrated roof offered better thermal performance among the roof types analysed with the green roof exhibiting the lowest energy and exergy transfers and the PCM integrated roof exhibiting the lowest radiative heat gain in the simulation results. Both the roof types exhibited the same reduction in indoor temperatures. The cool roof was effective in reflecting but it is less efficient than the green and PCM roofs in minimising heat transfer and maintaining uniform indoor temperatures.