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Share Repurchase Program and Treasury Stock (Details) (USD $)
3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2014
Share Repurchase Program and Treasury Stock (Textuals) [Abstract]      
Authorized amount under share repurchase program $ 3,000,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1    
Remaining Amount to Repurchase under the program 354,600,000us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramRemainingAuthorizedRepurchaseAmount1    
Shares Purchased Under Share Repurchase Program 23,500,000mtd_SharesRepurchasedUnderShareRepurchaseProgram    
Repurchases of common stock $ (123,745,000)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod $ (82,498,000)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod $ (414,000,000)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod
Number of shares repurchased 400,845us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired 336,188us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired  
Average price of share repurchased, per share $ 308.69us-gaap_TreasuryStockAcquiredAverageCostPerShare $ 245.37us-gaap_TreasuryStockAcquiredAverageCostPerShare  
Exercise of stock options and restricted stock units, shares reissued 125,398mtd_ExerciseOfStockOptionsAndRestrictedStockUnitsSharesTreasuryStockReissued 69,442mtd_ExerciseOfStockOptionsAndRestrictedStockUnitsSharesTreasuryStockReissued