<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-10-01</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000021344</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>COCA COLA CO</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>KO</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001162125</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GREENBERG EVAN G</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>CHUBB LIMITED</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1133 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS, 45TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10036</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.25 Par Value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>28058</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Phantom Stock Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-10-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2161.7552</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock, $.25 Par Value</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>2161.7552</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>35400.7635</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Each phantom share unit is economically equivalent to one share of Common Stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The reporting person forfeited 2161.7552 phantom share units credited to him under the terms of The Coca-Cola Company Directors' Plan effective January 1, 2013 (the &quot;Directors' Plan&quot;) for 2016 compensation as a result of his resignation from the Board of Directors effective as of October 1, 2016.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The phantom share units credited under the Directors' Plan are settled in cash the later of (i) January 15 of the year following the year in which the reporting person leaves the Board, or (ii) six months following the date on which the reporting person leaves the Board.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Includes 288.372 phantom share units accrued on July 1, 2016 under the Directors' Plan as a result of crediting phantom dividends.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Evan G. Greenberg</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-10-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
