Consolidated Statements of Equity - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Millions	Total	Total Costco Stockholders' Equity	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Retained Earnings	Noncontrolling Interests
Common stock at beginning of period (shares) at Sep. 01, 2013			436,839
Equity at beginning of period at Sep. 01, 2013	$ 11,012	$ 10,833	$ 2	$ 4,670	$ (122)	$ 6,283	$ 179
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	2,088	2,058				2,058	30
Foreign-currency translation adjustment and other, net	49	46			46		3
Stock-based compensation	327	327		327
Stock options exercised, including tax effects (shares)			971
Stock options exercised, including tax effects	58	58		58
Release of vested RSUs, including tax effects (shares)			2,770
Release of vested RSUs, including tax effects	(102)	(102)		(102)
Conversion of convertible notes (shares)			18
Conversion of convertible notes	$ 1	1		1
Repurchases of common stock (shares)	(2,915)		(2,915)
Repurchases of common stock	$ (334)	(334)		(35)		(299)
Cash dividends declared and other	(584)	(584)				(584)
Common stock at end of period (shares) at Aug. 31, 2014			437,683
Equity at end of period at Aug. 31, 2014	12,515	12,303	$ 2	4,919	(76)	7,458	212
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	2,409	2,377				2,377	32
Foreign-currency translation adjustment and other, net	(1,063)	(1,045)			(1,045)		(18)
Stock-based compensation	394	394		394
Stock options exercised, including tax effects (shares)			989
Stock options exercised, including tax effects	69	69		69
Release of vested RSUs, including tax effects (shares)			2,736
Release of vested RSUs, including tax effects	$ (122)	(122)		(122)
Repurchases of common stock (shares)	(3,456)		(3,456)
Repurchases of common stock	$ (494)	(494)		(42)		(452)
Cash dividends declared and other	$ (2,865)	(2,865)				(2,865)
Common stock at end of period (shares) at Aug. 30, 2015	437,952		437,952
Equity at end of period at Aug. 30, 2015	$ 10,843	10,617	$ 2	5,218	(1,121)	6,518	226
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	2,376	2,350				2,350	26
Foreign-currency translation adjustment and other, net	26	22			22		4
Stock-based compensation	459	459		459
Stock options exercised, including tax effects (shares)			4
Stock options exercised, including tax effects	0	0
Release of vested RSUs, including tax effects (shares)			2,749
Release of vested RSUs, including tax effects	(146)	(146)		(146)
Conversion of convertible notes (shares)			3
Conversion of convertible notes	$ 0	0
Repurchases of common stock (shares)	(3,184)		(3,184)
Repurchases of common stock	$ (477)	(477)		(41)		(436)
Cash dividends declared and other	$ (749)	(746)				(746)	(3)
Common stock at end of period (shares) at Aug. 28, 2016	437,524		437,524
Equity at end of period at Aug. 28, 2016	$ 12,332	$ 12,079	$ 2	$ 5,490	$ (1,099)	$ 7,686	$ 253