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 Loss [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Total Stockholders' Equity Attributable To PriceSmart, Inc. [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]	Total
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
Purchase of treasury stock						$ (2,417)	(2,417)		(2,417)
Purchase of treasury stock (in shares)						39,000
Issuance of restricted stock award (in shares)	76,000
Forfeiture of restricted stock awards (in shares)	(2,000)
Stock-based compensation		9,391					9,391		9,391
Dividend paid to stockholders					(10,672)		(10,672)	(313)	(10,985)
Dividend payable to stockholders					(10,672)		(10,672)		(10,672)
Net income					38,422		38,422	86	38,508
Other comprehensive income (loss)				(8,894)			(8,894)	21	(8,873)
Balance at Feb. 28, 2019	$ 3	442,273	11,486	(130,110)	491,032	$ (41,524)	773,160	430	773,590
Balance (in shares) at Feb. 28, 2019	31,447,000					951,000
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
Balance at Aug. 31, 2019	$ 3	443,084	11,486	(144,339)	525,804	$ (38,687)	797,351	928	$ 798,279
Balance (in shares) at Aug. 31, 2019	31,461,000					924,000			30,538,788
Balance at Nov. 30, 2018	$ 3	438,928	11,486	(134,462)	488,566	$ (39,107)	765,414	668	$ 766,082
Balance (in shares) at Nov. 30, 2018	31,405,000					912,000
Purchase of treasury stock						$ (2,417)	(2,417)		(2,417)
Purchase of treasury stock (in shares)						39,000
Issuance of restricted stock award (in shares)	44,000
Forfeiture of restricted stock awards (in shares)	(2,000)
Stock-based compensation		3,345					3,345		3,345
Dividend paid to stockholders					(10,672)		(10,672)	(313)	(10,985)
Dividend payable to stockholders					(10,672)		(10,672)		(10,672)
Net income					23,810		23,810	53	23,863
Other comprehensive income (loss)				4,352			4,352	22	4,374
Balance at Feb. 28, 2019	$ 3	442,273	11,486	(130,110)	491,032	$ (41,524)	773,160	430	773,590
Balance (in shares) at Feb. 28, 2019	31,447,000					951,000
Balance at Aug. 31, 2019	$ 3	443,084	11,486	(144,339)	525,804	$ (38,687)	797,351	928	$ 798,279
Balance (in shares) at Aug. 31, 2019	31,461,000					924,000			30,538,788
Purchase of treasury stock						$ (1,381)	(1,381)		$ (1,381)
Purchase of treasury stock (in shares)						22,000
Issuance of treasury stock		(7,970)				$ 7,970
Issuance of treasury stock (in shares)	(94,000)					(94,000)
Issuance of restricted stock award (in shares)	109,000
Forfeiture of restricted stock awards (in shares)	(25,000)
Stock-based compensation		6,258					6,258		6,258
Dividend paid to stockholders					(10,710)		(10,710)	(101)	(10,811)
Dividend payable to stockholders					(10,719)		(10,719)		(10,719)
Net income					45,328		45,328	92	45,420
Other comprehensive income (loss)				(8,234)			(8,234)	55	(8,179)
Balance at Feb. 29, 2020	$ 3	441,372	11,486	(152,573)	549,703	$ (32,098)	817,893	974	$ 818,867
Balance (in shares) at Feb. 29, 2020	31,451,000					852,000			30,599,058
Balance at Nov. 30, 2019	$ 3	440,756	11,486	(147,524)	545,532	$ (33,424)	816,829	943	$ 817,772
Balance (in shares) at Nov. 30, 2019	31,475,000					862,000
Purchase of treasury stock						$ (920)	(920)		(920)
Purchase of treasury stock (in shares)						15,000
Issuance of treasury stock		(2,246)				$ 2,246
Issuance of treasury stock (in shares)	(25,000)					(25,000)
Issuance of restricted stock award (in shares)	24,000
Forfeiture of restricted stock awards (in shares)	(23,000)
Stock-based compensation		2,862					2,862		2,862
Dividend paid to stockholders					(10,710)		(10,710)	(101)	(10,811)
Dividend payable to stockholders					(10,719)		(10,719)		(10,719)
Net income					25,600		25,600	111	25,711
Other comprehensive income (loss)				(5,049)			(5,049)	21	(5,028)
Balance at Feb. 29, 2020	$ 3	$ 441,372	$ 11,486	$ (152,573)	$ 549,703	$ (32,098)	$ 817,893	$ 974	$ 818,867
Balance (in shares) at Feb. 29, 2020	31,451,000					852,000			30,599,058