results

❯ python2 ~/dev/while.py
3.16730904579
2.61067199707

❯ python3 ~/dev/while.py
4.79477457899975
2.070868385999802

while.py

from __future__ import print_function

import timeit

def counter(limit):
    i = 0
    while i < limit:
        i += 1
        pass

def generator(limit):
    for i in range(limit):
        pass

print(timeit.timeit('counter(1000000)', setup='from __main__ import counter', number=100))
print(timeit.timeit('generator(1000000)', setup='from __main__ import generator', number=100))