CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY - USD ($)	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member] Cumulative Effect Of Accounting Changes [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Tax Benefit From Stock Based Compensation [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member] Cumulative Effect Of Accounting Changes [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Total Stockholders' Equity Attributable To PriceSmart, Inc. [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]	Cumulative Effect Of Accounting Changes [Member]	Total
Balance at Aug. 31, 2017	$ 3,000		$ 422,762,000	$ 11,486,000	$ (110,059,000)		$ 420,499,000	$ (35,924,000)	$ 708,767,000			$ 708,767,000
Balance (in shares) at Aug. 31, 2017	31,276,000							875,000
Acquisition of Aeropost										$ 562,000		562,000
Purchase of treasury stock								$ (3,183,000)	(3,183,000)			(3,183,000)
Purchase of treasury stock (in shares)								37,000
Issuance of restricted stock award	$ 109,000
Forfeiture of restricted stock awards (in shares)	(16,000)
Exercise of stock options			269,000						269,000			269,000
Exercise of stock options (in shares)	4,000
Stock-based compensation			10,218,000						10,218,000			10,218,000
Dividend paid to stockholders							(21,240,000)		(21,240,000)			(21,240,000)
Net income							74,328,000		74,328,000	75,000		74,403,000
Other comprehensive income (loss)					(11,157,000)				(11,157,000)	(1,000)		(11,158,000)
Balance at Aug. 31, 2018	$ 3,000	$ (367,000)	432,882,000	11,486,000	(121,216,000)	$ 367,000	473,954,000	$ (39,107,000)	758,002,000	636,000		758,638,000
Balance (in shares) at Aug. 31, 2018	31,373,000							912,000
Purchase of treasury stock								$ (4,604,000)	(4,604,000)			(4,604,000)
Purchase of treasury stock (in shares)								75,000
Issuance of treasury stock			(5,024,000)					$ 5,024,000
Issuance of treasury stock (in shares)	(63,000)							(63,000)
Issuance of restricted stock award (in shares)	178,000
Forfeiture of restricted stock awards (in shares)	(27,000)
Stock-based compensation			15,512,000						15,512,000			15,512,000
Dividend paid to stockholders							(21,341,000)		(21,341,000)	(313,000)		(21,654,000)
Net income							73,191,000		73,191,000	298,000		73,489,000
Other comprehensive income (loss)					(23,123,000)				(23,123,000)	21,000		(23,102,000)
Other			(286,000)						(286,000)	286,000
Balance at Aug. 31, 2019	$ 3,000		443,084,000	11,486,000	(144,339,000)		525,804,000	$ (38,687,000)	797,351,000	928,000		$ 798,279,000
Balance (in shares) at Aug. 31, 2019	31,461,000							924,000				30,537,027
Purchase of treasury stock								$ (3,651,000)	(3,651,000)			$ (3,651,000)
Purchase of treasury stock (in shares)								57,000
Issuance of treasury stock			(13,932,000)					$ 13,932,000
Issuance of treasury stock (in shares)	(234,000)							(234,000)
Issuance of restricted stock award (in shares)	222,000
Forfeiture of restricted stock awards (in shares)	(31,000)
Stock-based compensation			13,817,000						13,817,000			13,817,000
Dividend paid to stockholders							(21,426,000)		(21,426,000)	(101,000)		(21,527,000)
Net income							78,109,000		78,109,000	72,000		78,181,000
Other comprehensive income (loss)					(32,481,000)				(32,481,000)	114,000		(32,367,000)
Balance at Aug. 31, 2020	$ 3,000		$ 442,969,000	$ 11,486,000	$ (176,820,000)		$ 582,487,000	$ (28,406,000)	$ 831,719,000	$ 1,013,000	$ 0	$ 832,732,000
Balance (in shares) at Aug. 31, 2020	31,418,000							747,000				30,670,712