Python For loop vs in

in_vs_for.py

def x_in_loop():
    x = range(500)
    for i in x:
        if x == 253:
            return True
    return False

def x_in_range():
    x = range(500)
    return 253 in x


if __name__=='__main__':
    from timeit import Timer
    timer = Timer("x_in_range()", "from __main__ import x_in_range")
    print("Timeit for `in`")
    print(timer.timeit())
    timer = Timer("x_in_loop()", "from __main__ import x_in_loop")
    print("Timeit for `for` loop")
    print(timer.timeit())

My results:

Timeit for `in`
7.78765392303
Timeit for `for` loop
35.9058320522

I don't think it's a fair comparison in python, since the in statement (if the __contains__ method is not defined) uses by default is a function compiled in c (from my research _PySequence_IterSearch() )