ACQUISITION (Pro Forma Financial Information) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
		May 31, 2018	May 31, 2018	May 31, 2017
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Pro forma net income attributable to noncontrolling interest		$ 22	$ 22
Total revenue included in the Consolidated Statement of Income since acquisition			7,835
Net income/(loss) included in the Consolidated Statement of Income since acquisition			(2,290)
Amortization			507
Pro Forma [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Pro forma total revenues			2,410,581	$ 2,296,135
Pro forma net income attributable to PriceSmart, Inc.	[1]		46,202	64,163
Pro forma net income attributable to noncontrolling interest			415	$ 187
Amortization			$ 1,300
Aeropost, Inc [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Period of employment from date of closing			15 months
Remaining purchase price contingency			$ 3,800
Remaining period of the fifteen months			9 months

[1] Includes the pro forma recognition of $2.2 million of post-combination compensation expense, which represents completion of nine of the fifteen months of continued service required to satisfy the $3.8 million remaining purchase price contingency, and $1.3 million for the amortization of intangible assets for the nine months ended May 31, 2018.