SEGMENTS (Summary of Segment Revenues, Operating Costs and Balance Sheet Items) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended															12 Months Ended
		Aug. 31, 2020		May 31, 2020	Feb. 29, 2020	[1]	Nov. 30, 2019	Aug. 31, 2019	May 31, 2019	Feb. 28, 2019	Nov. 30, 2018	Aug. 31, 2018	May 31, 2018	Feb. 28, 2018	[1]	Nov. 30, 2017	Aug. 31, 2020		Aug. 31, 2019	Aug. 31, 2018
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue																	$ 3,329,188		$ 3,223,918	$ 3,166,702
Depreciation, Property and equipment																	58,815		52,554	51,520
Amortization, Intangibles																	2,410		2,404	1,120
Operating income (loss)																	122,468		115,167	126,052
Interest income from external sources																	2,031		1,489	1,415
Interest expense from external sources																	7,625		3,939	5,072
Provision for income taxes																	37,764		37,560	48,177
Net income (loss) attributable to PriceSmart Inc.		$ 20,076		$ 12,705	$ 25,600		$ 19,728	$ 20,673	$ 14,096	$ 23,810	$ 14,612	$ 18,996	$ 18,694	$ 14,148		$ 22,490	78,109		73,191	74,328
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)		880,780	[2]					730,365				657,062					880,780	[2]	730,365	657,062
Intangibles, net		10,166						12,576				14,980					10,166		12,576	14,980
Goodwill		45,206						46,101				46,329					45,206		46,101	46,329
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates		10,602						10,697				10,758					10,602		10,697	10,758
Total assets		1,656,825						1,296,411				1,216,392					1,656,825		1,296,411	1,216,392
Capital expenditures, net																	104,247		145,667	95,850
United States Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue																	73,703		68,335	57,445
Depreciation, Property and equipment																	6,888		5,334	7,373
Amortization, Intangibles																	2,410		2,404	1,120
Operating income (loss)																	3,873		3,805	2,016
Interest income from external sources																	7		74	25
Interest income from intersegment sources																	2,065		1,408	747
Interest expense from external sources																	1,890		1,377	1,465
Interest expense from intersegment sources																	39		60	16
Provision for income taxes																	10,106		11,280	19,977
Net income (loss) attributable to PriceSmart Inc.																	(7,578)		(8,518)	(19,811)
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)		81,008	[2]					65,278				67,650					81,008	[2]	65,278	67,650
Intangibles, net		10,166						12,576				14,980					10,166		12,576	14,980
Goodwill		10,696						11,315				11,230					10,696		11,315	11,230
Total assets		272,190						161,583				164,008					272,190		161,583	164,008
Capital expenditures, net																	6,072	[2]	8,439	2,252
Central American Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue																	1,895,857		1,831,761	1,839,810
Depreciation, Property and equipment																	29,312		24,684	23,391
Operating income (loss)																	125,351		122,629	130,849
Interest income from external sources																	612		499	487
Interest income from intersegment sources																	2,566		1,877	1,245
Interest expense from external sources																	3,425		2,368	3,210
Interest expense from intersegment sources																	1,547		1,505	1,042
Provision for income taxes																	20,001		19,429	20,767
Net income (loss) attributable to PriceSmart Inc.																	103,697		100,614	107,401
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)		475,744	[2]					383,665				320,612					475,744	[2]	383,665	320,612
Goodwill		24,418						24,593				24,903					24,418		24,593	24,903
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates		10,602						10,697				10,758					10,602		10,697	10,758
Total assets		741,523						614,579				550,874					741,523		614,579	550,874
Capital expenditures, net																	48,150		85,962	50,982
Caribbean Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	[3]																993,657		933,886	879,423
Depreciation, Property and equipment	[3]																15,441		14,052	11,596
Operating income (loss)	[3]																57,217		50,724	48,383
Interest income from external sources	[3]																749		568	767
Interest income from intersegment sources	[3]																431		724	730
Interest expense from external sources	[3]																310		(401)	(353)
Interest expense from intersegment sources	[3]																2,258		2,132	1,576
Provision for income taxes	[3]																6,416		6,615	5,624
Net income (loss) attributable to PriceSmart Inc.	[3]																50,553		44,168	44,178
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)	[3]	177,166	[2]					165,584				150,516					177,166	[2]	165,584	150,516
Goodwill	[3]	10,092						10,193				10,196					10,092		10,193	10,196
Total assets	[3]	395,244						340,216				318,837					395,244		340,216	318,837
Capital expenditures, net	[3]																14,460		28,434	39,379
Colombia Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue																	365,971		389,936	390,024
Depreciation, Property and equipment																	7,174		8,484	9,160
Operating income (loss)																	18,071		14,909	12,086
Interest income from external sources																	663		348	136
Interest expense from external sources																	2,000		595	750
Interest expense from intersegment sources																	561		8	3
Provision for income taxes																	1,241		236	1,809
Net income (loss) attributable to PriceSmart Inc.																	13,554		14,124	9,917
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)		146,862	[2]					115,838				118,284					146,862	[2]	115,838	118,284
Total assets		$ 247,868						$ 180,033				$ 182,673					247,868		180,033	182,673
Capital expenditures, net																	35,565		22,832	3,237
Intersegment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	[4]																(1,172,160)		(1,223,176)	(1,189,995)
Intersegment [Member] | United States Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue																	(1,148,004)		(1,205,986)	(1,184,530)
Intersegment [Member] | Central American Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue																	(16,524)		(11,185)
Intersegment [Member] | Caribbean Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	[3]																(4,909)		(4,507)	(4,472)
Intersegment [Member] | Colombia Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue																	(2,723)		(1,498)	(993)
Reconciling Items [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income (loss)	[4]																(82,044)		(76,900)	(67,282)
Interest income from intersegment sources	[4]																(5,062)		(4,009)	(2,722)
Interest expense from intersegment sources	[4]																(4,405)		(3,705)	(2,637)
Net income (loss) attributable to PriceSmart Inc.	[4]																$ (82,117)		$ (77,197)	$ (67,357)

[1] In the second quarter of fiscal 2018, the Company recorded its provisional tax estimate of $13.4 million as a result of the U.S. Tax Reform Transition Tax. The Company finalized its calculation of this Transition Tax in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018, reducing it to approximately $12.5 million.

[2] 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 August 31, 2020 is not comparable with that as of August 31, 2019 and August 31, 2018.

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

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