Metal Roof vs Shingles: Cost Comparison

Installed Price, Lifespan, 50-Year Cost, Insurance & Resale

Architectural asphalt shingles typically run $4.50 to $8 per square foot installed, exposed-fastener metal panels $4 to $7.50, and standing seam steel $10 to $16 — so metal usually costs more on day one. The comparison that decides it, though, is not one roof against one roof: it is one metal roof against two or three shingle roofs. Asphalt is commonly rated 25 to 30 years and often delivers 20 to 25 in hot or storm-prone climates, while steel and aluminium are commonly cited at 40 to 70 years. Over a fifty year window, shingles get bought two or three times. This guide breaks down installed pricing by system, the 50-year view, where each option genuinely wins, the costs people forget such as tear-off, decking repair, roof complexity and fastener maintenance, and the insurance angle in hail and wildfire regions. Run your own roof through both calculators rather than trusting national averages.