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. 03, 2017			437,204
Equity at beginning of period at Sep. 03, 2017	$ 11,079	$ 10,778	$ 4	$ 5,800	$ (1,014)	$ 5,988	$ 301
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	3,179	3,134				3,134	45
Foreign-currency translation adjustment and other, net	(192)	(185)			(185)		(7)
Stock-based compensation	547	547		547
Release of vested RSUs, including tax effects (shares)			2,741
Release of vested RSUs, including tax effects	$ (217)	(217)		(217)
Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Shares	(1,756)		(1,756)
Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Value	$ (322)	(322)		(26)		(296)
Stockholders' Equity, Other				3			(35)
Cash dividends declared	(971)	(936)				(939)
Common stock at end of period (shares) at Sep. 02, 2018			438,189
Equity at end of period at Sep. 02, 2018	13,103	12,799	$ 4	6,107	(1,199)	7,887	304
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	3,704	3,659				3,659	45
Foreign-currency translation adjustment and other, net	(245)	(237)			(237)		(8)
Stock-based compensation	598	598		598
Release of vested RSUs, including tax effects (shares)			2,533
Release of vested RSUs, including tax effects	$ (272)	(272)		(272)
Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Shares	(1,097)		(1,097)
Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Value	$ (247)	(247)		(16)		(231)
Cash dividends declared	$ (1,057)	(1,057)				(1,057)
Common stock at end of period (shares) at Sep. 01, 2019	439,625		439,625
Equity at end of period at Sep. 01, 2019	$ 15,584	15,243	$ 4	6,417	(1,436)	10,258	341
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	4,059	4,002				4,002	57
Foreign-currency translation adjustment and other, net	162	139			139		23
Stock-based compensation	621	621		621
Release of vested RSUs, including tax effects (shares)			2,273
Release of vested RSUs, including tax effects	$ (330)	(330)		(330)
Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Shares	(643)		(643)
Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Value	$ (198)	(198)		(10)		(188)
Cash dividends declared	$ (1,193)	(1,193)				(1,193)
Common stock at end of period (shares) at Aug. 30, 2020	441,255		441,255
Equity at end of period at Aug. 30, 2020	$ 18,705	$ 18,284	$ 4	$ 6,698	$ (1,297)	$ 12,879	$ 421