I thought you were saying that the people in RVA reddit exaggerate their rent price? That the housing report showed lower prices than you'd expect from the way people talk on here? If I misunderstood, then I apologize. But I share the following from my experiences all the same, because the difference moving to this area was a surprise.

When renting an apartment (in a few northern states plus Maryland), I've never paid for water, or sewer, or trash, or security, or pest control as separate (but required to pay) fees. Those services/utilities were all included as part of the stated/advertised rental price (except "security" was not available at most places I've lived). Then my partner and I moved to Richmond last year. All the apartment "communities" had at least 4 of those 5 services/utilities as separate required fees. With all the fees added up (to the real price of rent), what had sounded like affordable rent (until we learned the truth), wasn't actually.

We ended up renting the one place we found advertising rent with water, sewer, and trash included in the advertised price (it's a half-house, not an apartment community). No security to pay for and I think pest control is included (we've had no need to check for that in the lease). But if I was renting a place that advertised as $1310 but I was required to pay security, trash, sewer/water, and pest control =$1425, then I'd absolutely say my rent is $1425 when talking to other people, yet I would write "$1310" when answering a survey or filling out any kind of relevant paperwork.