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 Aug. 30, 2020			441,255
Equity at beginning of period at Aug. 30, 2020	$ 18,705	$ 18,284	$ 4	$ 6,698	$ (1,297)	$ 12,879	$ 421
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	5,079	5,007				5,007	72
Foreign-currency translation adjustment and other, net	181	160			160		21
Stock-based compensation	668	668		668
Release of vested RSUs, including tax effects (shares)			1,928
Release of vested RSUs, including tax effects	$ (312)	(312)		(312)
Repurchases of common stock, shares	(1,358)		(1,358)
Repurchases of common stock, value	$ (495)	(495)		(23)		(472)
Cash dividends declared and other	(5,748)	(5,748)				(5,748)
Common stock at end of period (shares) at Aug. 29, 2021			441,825
Equity at end of period at Aug. 29, 2021	18,078	17,564	$ 4	7,031	(1,137)	11,666	514
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	5,915	5,844				5,844	71
Foreign-currency translation adjustment and other, net	(721)	(686)			(686)		(35)
Stock-based compensation	728	728		728
Release of vested RSUs, including tax effects (shares)			1,702
Release of vested RSUs, including tax effects	(363)	(363)		(363)
Dividend to noncontrolling interest	(208)						208
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest	$ (842)	(505)		(499)	(6)		(337)
Repurchases of common stock, shares	(863)		(863)
Repurchases of common stock, value	$ (442)	(442)		(15)		(427)
Stockholders' equity, other			$ (2)	2
Cash dividends declared and other	$ (1,498)	(1,498)				(1,498)
Common stock at end of period (shares) at Aug. 28, 2022	442,664		442,664
Equity at end of period at Aug. 28, 2022	$ 20,647	20,642	$ 2	6,884	(1,829)	15,585	5
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	6,292	6,292				6,292	0
Foreign-currency translation adjustment and other, net	24	24			24		0
Stock-based compensation	778	778		778
Release of vested RSUs, including tax effects (shares)			1,470
Release of vested RSUs, including tax effects	$ (303)	(303)		(303)
Repurchases of common stock, shares	(1,341)		(1,341)
Repurchases of common stock, value	$ (677)	(677)		(24)		(653)
Stockholders' equity, other				5			(5)
Cash dividends declared and other	$ (1,703)	(1,698)				(1,703)
Common stock at end of period (shares) at Sep. 03, 2023	442,793		442,793
Equity at end of period at Sep. 03, 2023	$ 25,058	$ 25,058	$ 2	$ 7,340	$ (1,805)	$ 19,521	$ 0