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 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						$ (3,145)	(3,145)		(3,145)
Purchase of treasury stock (in shares)						51,000
Issuance of treasury stock		(5,024)				$ 5,024
Issuance of treasury stock (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
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 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		(5,024)				$ 5,024
Issuance of treasury stock (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
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						$ (1,585)	(1,585)		$ (1,585)
Purchase of treasury stock (in shares)						26,000
Issuance of treasury stock		(8,657)				$ 8,657
Issuance of treasury stock (in shares)	(174,000)					(174,000)
Issuance of restricted stock award (in shares)	166,000
Forfeiture of restricted stock awards (in shares)	(28,000)
Stock-based compensation		9,976					9,976		9,976
Dividend paid to stockholders					(10,710)		(10,710)	(101)	(10,811)
Dividend payable to stockholders					(10,719)		(10,719)		(10,719)
Net income					58,033		58,033	20	58,053
Other comprehensive income (loss)				(23,680)			(23,680)	90	(23,590)
Balance at May. 31, 2020	$ 3	444,403	11,486	(168,019)	562,408	$ (31,615)	818,666	937	$ 819,603
Balance (in shares) at May. 31, 2020	31,425,000					776,000			30,648,990
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
Purchase of treasury stock						$ (204)	(204)		(204)
Purchase of treasury stock (in shares)						4,000
Issuance of treasury stock		(687)				$ 687
Issuance of treasury stock (in shares)	(80,000)					(80,000)
Issuance of restricted stock award (in shares)	57,000
Forfeiture of restricted stock awards (in shares)	(3,000)
Stock-based compensation		3,718					3,718		3,718
Net income					12,705		12,705	(72)	12,633
Other comprehensive income (loss)				(15,446)			(15,446)	35	(15,411)
Balance at May. 31, 2020	$ 3	$ 444,403	$ 11,486	$ (168,019)	$ 562,408	$ (31,615)	$ 818,666	$ 937	$ 819,603
Balance (in shares) at May. 31, 2020	31,425,000					776,000			30,648,990