SEGMENTS (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended																		12 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2014 Country		May 31, 2014	Feb. 28, 2014	Nov. 30, 2013	Aug. 31, 2013		May 31, 2013		Feb. 28, 2013		Nov. 30, 2012		Aug. 31, 2012		May 31, 2012	Feb. 29, 2012	Nov. 30, 2011	Aug. 31, 2014 Country		Aug. 31, 2013		Aug. 31, 2012
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Value Added Tax Reclass from short term to long term assets														$ 13,313									$ 13,313
Number of countries	13																		13
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue from external customers																			2,517,567		2,299,812		2,045,163
Front end sales																							(682)
Demonstration Income																							(4,900)
Intersegment revenues																			0		0		0
Depreciation and amortization																			28,475	[1]	24,444		23,739
Operating Income (Loss)																			136,707		127,046		107,614
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Property Plant Equipment, Excluding Oil and Gas Property and Timber Property																			(1,445)		(889)		(312)
Interest income from external sources																			853		1,335		908
Interest income from intersegment sources																			0		0		0
Interest expense from external sources																			4,295		4,216		5,283
Interest expense from intersegment sources																			0		0		0
Provision for income taxes																			41,372		38,942		35,053
Net income attributable to PriceSmart	21,856		21,320	28,278	21,432	20,839	[2]	18,539	[2]	24,882	[2]	20,005	[2]	17,706		15,706	20,220	13,989	92,886		84,265	[2]	67,621
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)	525,902					437,587								399,298					525,902		437,587		399,298
Goodwill	36,108					36,364								36,886					36,108		36,364		36,886
Investments in uncolsolidated affiliates	8,863					8,104								7,559					8,863		8,104		7,559
Identifiable assets	940,218					826,039								735,712					940,218		826,039		735,712
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions																			121,140		69,927		52,705
United States Operations
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue from external customers																			31,279		23,059		15,320
Intersegment revenues																			959,297		877,337		766,462
Depreciation and amortization																			2,238	[1]	2,121		1,782
Operating Income (Loss)																			38,450		34,132		30,747
Interest income from external sources																			18		163		220
Interest income from intersegment sources																			2,603		2,841		2,430
Interest expense from external sources																			34		8		25
Interest expense from intersegment sources																			120		141		62
Provision for income taxes																			12,739		11,011		10,720
Net income attributable to PriceSmart																			25,620		23,200		20,220
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)	16,488					19,114								17,781					16,488		19,114		17,781
Goodwill	0					0								0					0		0		0
Investments in uncolsolidated affiliates	0					0								0					0		0		0
Identifiable assets	91,190					103,844								87,467					91,190		103,844		87,467
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions																			7,627		3,456		1,972
Latin American Operations
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue from external customers																			1,701,063		1,542,401		1,337,435
Intersegment revenues																			0		99		40
Depreciation and amortization																			17,175	[1]	13,453		11,655
Operating Income (Loss)																			71,860		69,746		57,394
Interest income from external sources																			676		1,077		611
Interest income from intersegment sources																			325		410		386
Interest expense from external sources																			3,549		3,136		4,148
Interest expense from intersegment sources																			1,355		1,061		464
Provision for income taxes																			21,932		21,921		18,226
Net income attributable to PriceSmart																			47,678		44,862		33,264
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)	396,280					304,731								262,968					396,280		304,731		262,968
Goodwill	31,383					31,474								31,760					31,383		31,474		31,760
Investments in uncolsolidated affiliates	8,863					8,104								7,559					8,863		8,104		7,559
Identifiable assets	625,777					518,313								441,857					625,777		518,313		441,857
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions																			103,979		59,064		42,116
Caribbean Operations
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue from external customers																			785,225		734,352		692,408
Intersegment revenues																			5,265		4,721		4,726
Depreciation and amortization																			9,062	[1]	8,870		10,302
Operating Income (Loss)																			26,397		23,168		19,473
Interest income from external sources																			159		95		77
Interest income from intersegment sources																			561		556		536
Interest expense from external sources																			712		1,072		1,110
Interest expense from intersegment sources																			2,014		2,605		2,826
Provision for income taxes																			6,701		6,010		6,107
Net income attributable to PriceSmart																			19,588		16,203		14,137
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)	113,134					113,742								118,549					113,134		113,742		118,549
Goodwill	4,725					4,890								5,126					4,725		4,890		5,126
Investments in uncolsolidated affiliates	0					0								0					0		0		0
Identifiable assets	223,251					203,882								206,388					223,251		203,882		206,388
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions																			9,534		7,407		8,617
Reconciling Items
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue from external customers																			0	[3]	0	[3]	0	[3]
Intersegment revenues																			(964,562)	[3]	(882,157)	[3]	(771,228)	[3]
Depreciation and amortization																			0	[1],[3]	0	[3]	0	[3]
Operating Income (Loss)																			0	[3]	0	[3]	0	[3]
Interest income from external sources																			0	[3]	0	[3]	0	[3]
Interest income from intersegment sources																			(3,489)	[3]	(3,807)	[3]	(3,352)	[3]
Interest expense from external sources																			0	[3]	0	[3]	0	[3]
Interest expense from intersegment sources																			(3,489)	[3]	(3,807)	[3]	(3,352)	[3]
Provision for income taxes																			0	[3]	0	[3]	0	[3]
Net income attributable to PriceSmart																			0	[3]	0	[3]	0	[3]
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)	0	[3]				0	[3]							0	[3]				0	[3]	0	[3]	0	[3]
Goodwill	0	[3]				0	[3]							0	[3]				0	[3]	0	[3]	0	[3]
Investments in uncolsolidated affiliates	0	[3]				0	[3]							0	[3]				0	[3]	0	[3]	0	[3]
Identifiable assets	0	[3]				0	[3]							0	[3]				0	[3]	0	[3]	0	[3]
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions																			0	[3]	0	[3]	0	[3]
Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue from external customers																							2,050,745
Operating Income (Loss)																					127,935		107,926
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Property Plant Equipment, Excluding Oil and Gas Property and Timber Property																					(889)		(312)
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)														384,263									384,263
Scenario, Previously Reported [Member] | United States Operations
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue from external customers																							15,320
Operating Income (Loss)																					34,132		30,750
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)														17,781									17,781
Scenario, Previously Reported [Member] | Latin American Operations
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue from external customers																							1,341,688
Operating Income (Loss)																					70,383		57,657
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)														249,925									249,925
Scenario, Previously Reported [Member] | Caribbean Operations
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue from external customers																							693,737
Operating Income (Loss)																					23,420		19,519
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)														116,557									116,557
Scenario, Prepaid Adjustment [Member] | Latin American Operations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Prepaid Assets to Long lived assets														1,722	[4]								1,722	[4]
Restatement Adjustment | Latin American Operations
Segment Reporting Information
Depreciation and amortization																			313
Restatement Adjustment | Caribbean Operations
Segment Reporting Information
Depreciation and amortization																			1,100
Scenario, Adjustment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Operating Income (Loss)																							0
Scenario, Adjustment [Member] | United States Operations
Segment Reporting Information
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Property Plant Equipment, Excluding Oil and Gas Property and Timber Property																					0		(3)
Scenario, Adjustment [Member] | Latin American Operations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Value Added Tax Reclass from short term to long term assets														11,321									11,321
Segment Reporting Information
Front end sales																							(388)
Demonstration Income																							(3,865)
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Property Plant Equipment, Excluding Oil and Gas Property and Timber Property																					(637)		(263)
Scenario, Adjustment [Member] | Caribbean Operations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Value Added Tax Reclass from short term to long term assets														1,992									1,992
Segment Reporting Information
Front end sales																							(294)
Demonstration Income																							(1,035)
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Property Plant Equipment, Excluding Oil and Gas Property and Timber Property																					(252)		(46)
Scenario, Reclass [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Property Plant Equipment, Excluding Oil and Gas Property and Timber Property																					889		312
Scenario, Actual [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue from external customers																							2,045,163
Operating Income (Loss)																					127,046		107,614
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)														399,298									399,298
Scenario, Actual [Member] | United States Operations
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue from external customers																							15,320
Operating Income (Loss)																					34,132		30,747
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)														17,781									17,781
Scenario, Actual [Member] | Latin American Operations
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue from external customers																							1,337,435
Operating Income (Loss)																					69,746		57,394
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)														262,968									262,968
Scenario, Actual [Member] | Caribbean Operations
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue from external customers																							692,408
Operating Income (Loss)																					23,168		19,473
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)														$ 118,549									$ 118,549

[1] Includes a $1.1 million error that increased expenses in the Caribbean operations and a $313,000 error that increased expenses in the Latin America operations, both of which were related to prior periods. See Note 1- Company Overview and Basis of Presentation.

[2] (1) The fiscal year 2013 and 2012 data has been updated to reflect the reclassifications as disclosed in Note 1 - Company Overview and Basis of Presentation.

[3] The reconciling items reflect the amount eliminated on consolidation of intersegment transactions.

[4] (1) The Company reclassified prepaid expenses to long-lived assets within the Latin America Operations segment for approximately $1.7 million.