SEGMENTS (Summary of Segment Revenues, Operating Costs and Balance Sheet Items) (Details) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
		May 31, 2020 USD ($) country warehouse		May 31, 2019 USD ($)	May 31, 2020 USD ($) country warehouse		May 31, 2019 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2019 USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of stores | warehouse		45			45
Number of countries | country		13			13
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue		$ 799,931		$ 788,556	$ 2,518,607		$ 2,422,618
Depreciation, Property and equipment		14,272		13,195	43,062		38,567
Amortization, Intangibles		607		606	1,805		1,798
Operating income (loss)		23,967		21,997	93,490		83,203
Net income (loss) attributable to PriceSmart Inc.		12,705		14,096	58,033		52,518
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)		890,770	[1]	688,158	890,770	[1]	688,158	$ 730,365
Intangibles, net		10,772		13,182	10,772		13,182	12,576
Goodwill		45,316		46,158	45,316		46,158	46,101
Total assets		1,574,489		1,261,864	1,574,489		1,261,864	1,296,411
Capital expenditures, net		16,512		22,568	91,050		88,556
United States Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue		15,852		17,454	52,039		51,614
Depreciation, Property and equipment		1,294		1,312	3,981		3,958
Amortization, Intangibles		607		606	1,805		1,798
Operating income (loss)		(1,115)		1,139	3,401		4,565
Net income (loss) attributable to PriceSmart Inc.		(3,785)		(1,655)	(5,350)		(3,885)
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)		83,813	[1]	85,638	83,813	[1]	85,638	65,278
Intangibles, net		10,772		13,182	10,772		13,182	12,576
Goodwill		10,695		11,315	10,695		11,315	11,315
Total assets		224,682		152,322	224,682		152,322	161,583
Capital expenditures, net		1,446		143	5,564		3,759
Central American Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue		452,927		448,118	1,442,336		1,372,918
Depreciation, Property and equipment		7,577		6,200	22,027		18,072
Operating income (loss)		27,606		26,314	96,972		90,681
Net income (loss) attributable to PriceSmart Inc.		22,724		22,725	79,815		75,009
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)		481,942	[1]	339,950	481,942	[1]	339,950	383,665
Goodwill		24,484		24,606	24,484		24,606	24,593
Total assets		727,527		605,399	727,527		605,399	614,579
Capital expenditures, net		9,395		13,322	42,766		56,695
Caribbean Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue	[2]	250,304		228,586	747,004		702,954
Depreciation, Property and equipment	[2]	3,810		3,551	11,602		10,181
Operating income (loss)	[2]	13,547		10,295	40,436		37,346
Net income (loss) attributable to PriceSmart Inc.	[2]	10,849		9,514	34,978		32,536
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)	[2]	181,578	[1]	157,186	181,578	[1]	157,186	165,584
Goodwill	[2]	10,137		10,237	10,137		10,237	10,193
Total assets	[2]	384,168		331,999	384,168		331,999	340,216
Capital expenditures, net	[2]	2,163		8,010	13,913		24,271
Colombia Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue		80,848		94,398	277,228		295,132
Depreciation, Property and equipment		1,591		2,132	5,452		6,356
Operating income (loss)		3,487		3,294	13,411		10,327
Net income (loss) attributable to PriceSmart Inc.		2,403		2,528	9,340		8,632
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)		143,437	[1]	105,384	143,437	[1]	105,384	115,838
Total assets		238,112		172,144	238,112		172,144	$ 180,033
Capital expenditures, net		3,508		1,093	28,807		3,831
Intersegment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue	[3]	(237,952)		(289,082)	(886,379)		(936,738)
Intersegment [Member] | United States Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue		(230,826)		(284,205)	(868,137)		(924,624)
Intersegment [Member] | Central American Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue		(4,791)		(3,401)	(12,745)		(7,620)
Intersegment [Member] | Caribbean Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue	[2]	(1,548)		(1,032)	(3,627)		(3,375)
Intersegment [Member] | Colombia Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Revenue		(787)		(444)	(1,870)		(1,119)
Reconciling Items [Member]
Segment Reporting Information
Operating income (loss)	[3]	(19,558)		(19,045)	(60,730)		(59,716)
Net income (loss) attributable to PriceSmart Inc.	[3]	$ (19,486)		$ (19,016)	$ (60,750)		$ (59,774)
Foreign Countries [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of countries | country		12			12
Domestic Territories [Member] | United States Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of countries | country		1			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 May 31, 2020 is not comparable with that as of May 31, 2019 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.