CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Tax Benefit From Stock Based Compensation [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Total Stockholder's Equity Attributable To PriceSmart, Inc. [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]	Total
Balance at Aug. 31, 2017	$ 3	$ 422,395	$ 11,486	$ (110,059)	$ 420,866	$ (35,924)	$ 708,767		$ 708,767
Balance (in shares) at Aug. 31, 2017	31,276,000					875,000
Acquisition of Aeropost								$ 562	562
Purchase of treasury stock						$ (1,916)	(1,916)		(1,916)
Purchase of treasury stock (in shares)						23,000
Issuance of restricted stock award (in shares)	96,000
Forfeiture of restricted stock awards (in shares)	(7,000)
Exercise of stock options		269					269		269
Exercise of stock options (in shares)	4,000
Stock-based compensation		7,469					7,469		7,469
Dividend paid to stockholders					(10,645)		(10,645)		(10,645)
Dividend payable to stockholders					(10,652)		(10,652)		(10,652)
Net income					55,332		55,332	22	55,354
Other comprehensive income (loss)				1,483			1,483	8	1,491
Balance at May. 31, 2018	$ 3	430,133	11,486	(108,576)	454,901	$ (37,840)	750,107	592	750,699
Balance (in shares) at May. 31, 2018	31,369,000					898,000
Balance at Aug. 31, 2017	$ 3	422,395	11,486	(110,059)	420,866	$ (35,924)	708,767		708,767
Balance (in shares) at Aug. 31, 2017	31,276,000					875,000
Balance at Aug. 31, 2018	$ 3	432,882	11,486	(121,216)	473,954	$ (39,107)	758,002	636	$ 758,638
Balance (in shares) at Aug. 31, 2018	31,373,000					912,000			30,460,353
Balance at Feb. 28, 2018	$ 3	427,545	11,486	(106,250)	436,207	$ (37,757)	731,234		$ 731,234
Balance (in shares) at Feb. 28, 2018	31,311,000					896,000
Acquisition of Aeropost								562	562
Purchase of treasury stock						$ (83)	(83)		(83)
Purchase of treasury stock (in shares)						2,000
Issuance of restricted stock award (in shares)	58,000
Stock-based compensation		2,588					2,588		2,588
Net income					18,694		18,694	22	18,716
Other comprehensive income (loss)				(2,326)			(2,326)	8	(2,318)
Balance at May. 31, 2018	$ 3	430,133	11,486	(108,576)	454,901	$ (37,840)	750,107	592	750,699
Balance (in shares) at May. 31, 2018	31,369,000					898,000
Balance at Aug. 31, 2018	$ 3	432,882	11,486	(121,216)	473,954	$ (39,107)	758,002	636	$ 758,638
Balance (in shares) at Aug. 31, 2018	31,373,000					912,000			30,460,353
Purchase of treasury stock						$ (3,145)	(3,145)		$ (3,145)
Purchase of treasury stock (in shares)						51,000
Issuance of treasury stock award		(5,024)				$ 5,024
Issuance of treasury stock award (in shares)	(63,000)					(63,000)
Issuance of restricted stock award (in shares)	155,000
Forfeiture of restricted stock awards (in shares)	(25,000)
Stock-based compensation		12,515					12,515		12,515
Dividend paid to stockholders					(10,673)		(10,673)	(313)	(10,986)
Dividend payable to stockholders					(10,672)		(10,672)		(10,672)
Net income					52,518		52,518	59	52,577
Other comprehensive income (loss)				(19,952)			(19,952)	80	(19,872)
Balance at May. 31, 2019	$ 3	440,373	11,486	(141,168)	505,127	$ (37,228)	778,593	462	$ 779,055
Balance (in shares) at May. 31, 2019	31,440,000					900,000			30,539,966
Balance at Feb. 28, 2019	$ 3	442,273	11,486	(130,109)	491,031	$ (41,524)	773,160	430	$ 773,590
Balance (in shares) at Feb. 28, 2019	31,447,000					951,000
Purchase of treasury stock						$ (728)	(728)		(728)
Purchase of treasury stock (in shares)						12,000
Issuance of treasury stock award		(5,024)				$ 5,024
Issuance of treasury stock award (in shares)	(63,000)					(63,000)
Issuance of restricted stock award (in shares)	79,000
Forfeiture of restricted stock awards (in shares)	(23,000)
Stock-based compensation		3,124					3,124		3,124
Net income					14,096		14,096	(27)	14,069
Other comprehensive income (loss)				(11,059)			(11,059)	59	(11,000)
Balance at May. 31, 2019	$ 3	$ 440,373	$ 11,486	$ (141,168)	$ 505,127	$ (37,228)	$ 778,593	$ 462	$ 779,055
Balance (in shares) at May. 31, 2019	31,440,000					900,000			30,539,966