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Debt (Carrying Value and Estimated Fair Value of Company's Long Term Debt) (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
9 Months Ended
May 10, 2015
Aug. 31, 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Total long-term debt, carrying value $ 6,026us-gaap_LongTermDebt $ 5,093us-gaap_LongTermDebt
Less current portion, carrying value 1,200us-gaap_LongTermDebtCurrent 0us-gaap_LongTermDebtCurrent
Long-term debt, excluding current maturities 4,826us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent 5,093us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
Total long-term debt, fair value 6,123us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue 5,217us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue
Less current portion, fair value 1,202cost_LongtermDebtFairValueCurrentMaturities 0cost_LongtermDebtFairValueCurrentMaturities
Long-term debt, excluding current portion, fair value 4,921cost_LongtermDebtFairValueNonCurrent 5,217cost_LongtermDebtFairValueNonCurrent
0.65% Senior Notes due December 2015    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Debt instrument, stated interest rate (percent) 0.65%us-gaap_LongTermDebtPercentageBearingFixedInterestRate
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_SeniorNotesZeroPointSixFiveZeroPercentDueDecemberSevenTwentyFifteenMember
 
Debt instrument, principal due date 2015-12  
Total long-term debt, carrying value 1,200us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_SeniorNotesZeroPointSixFiveZeroPercentDueDecemberSevenTwentyFifteenMember
1,199us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_SeniorNotesZeroPointSixFiveZeroPercentDueDecemberSevenTwentyFifteenMember
Total long-term debt, fair value 1,202us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_SeniorNotesZeroPointSixFiveZeroPercentDueDecemberSevenTwentyFifteenMember
1,203us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_SeniorNotesZeroPointSixFiveZeroPercentDueDecemberSevenTwentyFifteenMember
5.5% Senior Notes due March 2017    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Debt instrument, stated interest rate (percent) 5.50%us-gaap_LongTermDebtPercentageBearingFixedInterestRate
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_SeniorNotesFivePointFivePercentDueMarchTwentySeventeenMember
 
Debt instrument, principal due date 2017-03  
Total long-term debt, carrying value 1,099us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_SeniorNotesFivePointFivePercentDueMarchTwentySeventeenMember
1,099us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_SeniorNotesFivePointFivePercentDueMarchTwentySeventeenMember
Total long-term debt, fair value 1,188us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_SeniorNotesFivePointFivePercentDueMarchTwentySeventeenMember
1,223us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_SeniorNotesFivePointFivePercentDueMarchTwentySeventeenMember
1.125% Senior Notes due December 2017    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Debt instrument, stated interest rate (percent) 1.125%us-gaap_LongTermDebtPercentageBearingFixedInterestRate
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_SeniorNotesOnePointOneTwoFivePercentDueDecemberFifteenTwentySeventeenMember
 
Debt instrument, principal due date 2017-12  
Total long-term debt, carrying value 1,100us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_SeniorNotesOnePointOneTwoFivePercentDueDecemberFifteenTwentySeventeenMember
1,100us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_SeniorNotesOnePointOneTwoFivePercentDueDecemberFifteenTwentySeventeenMember
Total long-term debt, fair value 1,102us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_SeniorNotesOnePointOneTwoFivePercentDueDecemberFifteenTwentySeventeenMember
1,095us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_SeniorNotesOnePointOneTwoFivePercentDueDecemberFifteenTwentySeventeenMember
1.7% Senior Notes due December 2019    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Debt instrument, stated interest rate (percent) 1.70%us-gaap_LongTermDebtPercentageBearingFixedInterestRate
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_SeniorNotesOnePointSevenPercentDueDecemberTwentyNineteenMember
 
Debt instrument, principal due date 2019-12  
Total long-term debt, carrying value 1,198us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_SeniorNotesOnePointSevenPercentDueDecemberTwentyNineteenMember
1,198us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_SeniorNotesOnePointSevenPercentDueDecemberTwentyNineteenMember
Total long-term debt, fair value 1,202us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_SeniorNotesOnePointSevenPercentDueDecemberTwentyNineteenMember
1,186us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_SeniorNotesOnePointSevenPercentDueDecemberTwentyNineteenMember
1.75% Senior Notes due February 2020    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Debt instrument, stated interest rate (percent) 1.75%us-gaap_LongTermDebtPercentageBearingFixedInterestRate
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_SeniorNotesOnePointSevenFivePercentDueFebruaryTwentyTwentyMemberDomain
 
Debt instrument, principal due date 2020-02  
Total long-term debt, carrying value 499us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_SeniorNotesOnePointSevenFivePercentDueFebruaryTwentyTwentyMemberDomain
0us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_SeniorNotesOnePointSevenFivePercentDueFebruaryTwentyTwentyMemberDomain
Total long-term debt, fair value 497us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_SeniorNotesOnePointSevenFivePercentDueFebruaryTwentyTwentyMemberDomain
0us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_SeniorNotesOnePointSevenFivePercentDueFebruaryTwentyTwentyMemberDomain
2.25% Senior Notes due February 2022    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Debt instrument, stated interest rate (percent) 2.25%us-gaap_LongTermDebtPercentageBearingFixedInterestRate
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_SeniorNotesTwoPointTwoFivePercentDueFebruaryTwentyTwentyTwoMemberDomain
 
Debt instrument, principal due date 2022-02  
Total long-term debt, carrying value 499us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_SeniorNotesTwoPointTwoFivePercentDueFebruaryTwentyTwentyTwoMemberDomain
0us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_SeniorNotesTwoPointTwoFivePercentDueFebruaryTwentyTwentyTwoMemberDomain
Total long-term debt, fair value 491us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_SeniorNotesTwoPointTwoFivePercentDueFebruaryTwentyTwentyTwoMemberDomain
0us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_SeniorNotesTwoPointTwoFivePercentDueFebruaryTwentyTwentyTwoMemberDomain
Other Long Term Debt    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Total long-term debt, carrying value 431us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_OtherLongTermDebtMember
497us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_OtherLongTermDebtMember
Total long-term debt, fair value $ 441us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_OtherLongTermDebtMember
$ 510us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= cost_OtherLongTermDebtMember