SEGMENTS (Summary of Segment Revenues, Operating Costs and Balance Sheet Items) (Details) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended
		Nov. 30, 2019 USD ($) warehouse country		Nov. 30, 2018 USD ($)		Aug. 31, 2019 USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of stores | warehouse		45
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue		$ 811,941		$ 779,637
Depreciation, Property and equipment		14,214		13,124
Amortization, Intangibles		599		599
Operating income (loss)		30,714		24,670
Net income (loss) attributable to PriceSmart Inc.		19,728		14,612
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)		877,043	[1]	670,989	[1]	$ 730,365
Intangibles, net		11,977		14,381		12,576
Goodwill		45,425		46,248		46,101
Total assets		1,524,111		1,277,243		1,296,411
Capital expenditures, net		41,226		36,339
United States Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue		17,339		17,339
Depreciation, Property and equipment		1,348		1,960
Amortization, Intangibles		599		599
Operating income (loss)		2,587		(1,050)
Net income (loss) attributable to PriceSmart Inc.		(724)		(3,825)
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)		84,117	[1]	90,061	[1]	65,278
Intangibles, net		11,977		14,381		12,576
Goodwill		10,695		11,230		11,315
Total assets		168,375		158,591		161,583
Capital expenditures, net		629		1,686
Central American Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue		466,802		439,806
Depreciation, Property and equipment		6,882		5,870
Operating income (loss)		31,700		28,792
Net income (loss) attributable to PriceSmart Inc.		26,751		24,185
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)		471,366	[1]	320,136	[1]	383,665
Goodwill		24,532		24,726		24,593
Total assets		754,364		592,114		614,579
Capital expenditures, net		15,243		22,771
Caribbean Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue	[2]	235,017		225,009
Depreciation, Property and equipment	[2]	3,966		3,191
Operating income (loss)	[2]	11,810		12,027
Net income (loss) attributable to PriceSmart Inc.	[2]	10,318		9,985
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)	[2]	177,742	[1]	149,823	[1]	165,584
Goodwill	[2]	10,198		10,292		10,193
Total assets	[2]	369,575		346,397		340,216
Capital expenditures, net	[2]	4,520		10,495
Colombia Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue		92,783		97,483
Depreciation, Property and equipment		2,018		2,103
Operating income (loss)		4,524		3,416
Net income (loss) attributable to PriceSmart Inc.		3,271		2,815
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)		143,818	[1]	110,969	[1]	115,838
Total assets		231,797		180,141		$ 180,033
Capital expenditures, net		20,834		1,387
Intersegment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue	[3]	(355,733)		(352,527)
Intersegment [Member] | United States Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue		(349,950)		(350,719)
Intersegment [Member] | Central American Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue		(4,045)		(437)
Intersegment [Member] | Caribbean Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue	[2]	(1,202)		(1,093)
Intersegment [Member] | Colombia Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue		(536)		(278)
Reconciling Items [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Operating income (loss)	[3]	(19,907)		(18,515)
Net income (loss) attributable to PriceSmart Inc.	[3]	$ (19,888)		$ (18,548)
Foreign Countries [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of countries | country		12
Domestic Territories [Member] | U.S. Federal [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of countries | country		1

[1] Effective September 1, 2019, we adopted the requirements of Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2016-02, "Leases (Topic 842)" (ASC 842) using the modified retrospective approach, under which financial results reported in prior periods were not restated. As a result, the Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets) as of November 30, 2019 is not comparable with that as of November 30, 2018 and August 31, 2019.

[2] Management considers its club in the U.S. Virgin Islands to be part of its Caribbean operations.

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