list = ['zasd_1_r','zqwe_2as','z_3q','ss0', 'w1as', 'q2_as', 'cas_3', 'ghh_2', 'dfg3_qa']
for elem in list:
    if elem.startwith('z') and '1' in elem or '2' in elem or '3' in elem:   <-------- некрасивое условие

 import re
if re.search("^z.*[123]", elem) ...

 if not elem == "ss0"

  
    if elem.startswith('z') and '1' in elem or any(c in elem for c in '23'):        
        print elem

    if elem.startswith('z') and any(c in elem for c in '123'):        
        print elem

  
>>> s = 'zqwe_2as'
>>> 
>>> if set('123').intersection(s):
...     'yes'
... else:
...     'no'
... 
'yes'
>>>

  
>>> s = 'zqwe_2as'
>>> 
>>> if set(s) & set('123'):
...     'yes'
... else:
...     'no'
... 
'yes'
>>>