Also, utilities. I only pay for electricity at my apartment, and thanks to some 12" stone walls it's quite low. I talk to people my age who have bought homes and their utility bills can be as much as 40% of my rent.
Maybe it's different in your area, but most areas I have experience with, no utilities are included in the rent. Plus a lot depends on how the place is heated/insulated (or cooled/insulated).
The utility situation really depends on the area, yes.
For example, my experience renting in Chicago is that water, heat and hot water were typically included in the rent. That's most certainly not the case everywhere.