sanitize_the_number.py

import datetime


def convert_from_string(number):
    nums = number.split(".")
    real_num = 0
    count = len(nums)
    for idx, num in enumerate(nums):
        if idx < count - 1:
            real_num += int(num) * (1000**(count - idx - 1))
        else:
            real_num += int(num.split(",")[0]) #assuming we ignore the ","
    return real_num


def convert_from_string_to_float(number):
    number = str(number)
    return float(".".join("".join(number.split(".")).split(",")))


def sanitize(number):
    try:
        return int(number)
    except ValueError:
        return convert_from_string(number)


if __name__ == '__main__':
    t0 = datetime.datetime.now()
    print sanitize('120.000') #slowest
    print str(datetime.datetime.now() - t0)

    t0 = datetime.datetime.now()
    print convert_from_string_to_float(12000) #faster
    print str(datetime.datetime.now() - t0)

    print convert_from_string_to_float('1.200.000')
    print sanitize(120000)