SEGMENTS (Summary of Segment Revenues, Operating Costs and Balance Sheet Items) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2023	Aug. 31, 2022	Aug. 31, 2021
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	$ 4,411,842	$ 4,066,093	$ 3,619,871
Depreciation, Property and equipment	71,933	66,255	62,579
Amortization, Intangibles	765	1,613	2,404
Operating income (loss)	184,516	167,066	158,020
Interest income from external sources	9,871	2,201	1,979
Interest income from intersegment sources	0	0	0
Interest expense from external sources	11,020	9,611	7,210
Interest expense from intersegment sources	0	0	0
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	59,951	51,858	48,969
Net income (loss) attributable to PriceSmart, Inc.	109,205	104,534	97,963
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)	1,053,353	962,397	931,503
Intangibles, net		765	7,762
Goodwill	43,110	43,303	45,095
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	10,479	10,534	10,544
Total Assets	2,005,608	1,808,400	1,705,790
Capital expenditures, net	143,912	122,342	106,108
Operating Segments
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Intangibles, net
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	0	0	0
Operating Segments | United ‎States ‎Operations
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	31,741	48,716	88,397
Depreciation, Property and equipment	5,482	4,719	6,970
Amortization, Intangibles	765	1,613	2,404
Operating income (loss)	29,844	23,364	12,687
Interest income from external sources	3,604	147	13
Interest income from intersegment sources	2,454	1,789	2,130
Interest expense from external sources	1,165	1,225	1,606
Interest expense from intersegment sources	75	27	34
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	23,283	19,629	15,919
Net income (loss) attributable to PriceSmart, Inc.	9,540	8,292	(4,777)
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)	71,919	70,978	79,404
Intangibles, net		765	7,762
Goodwill	8,981	8,981	10,695
Total Assets	302,115	230,411	246,896
Capital expenditures, net	10,204	5,119	9,061
Operating Segments | Central ‎American ‎Operations
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	2,671,083	2,382,163	2,105,856
Depreciation, Property and equipment	37,053	34,155	31,319
Amortization, Intangibles	0	0	0
Operating income (loss)	191,721	171,119	151,933
Interest income from external sources	3,977	1,115	878
Interest income from intersegment sources	1,603	1,954	2,393
Interest expense from external sources	2,664	3,107	2,831
Interest expense from intersegment sources	1,258	1,187	1,286
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	28,045	23,396	22,661
Net income (loss) attributable to PriceSmart, Inc.	159,014	144,159	127,879
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)	566,139	498,204	490,099
Intangibles, net		0	0
Goodwill	24,083	24,250	24,332
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	10,479	10,534	10,544
Total Assets	995,881	867,898	795,940
Capital expenditures, net	79,526	46,959	45,524
Operating Segments | Caribbean Operations Segment
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	1,269,307	1,156,607	1,004,793
Depreciation, Property and equipment	19,188	17,061	15,432
Amortization, Intangibles	0	0	0
Operating income (loss)	87,223	79,022	74,769
Interest income from external sources	2,135	863	985
Interest income from intersegment sources	253	255	483
Interest expense from external sources	3,251	2,163	427
Interest expense from intersegment sources	1,041	1,821	2,647
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	9,873	8,106	8,006
Net income (loss) attributable to PriceSmart, Inc.	68,635	62,799	61,025
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)	210,000	218,021	197,030
Intangibles, net		0	0
Goodwill	10,046	10,072	10,068
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	0	0	0
Total Assets	425,145	474,411	434,428
Capital expenditures, net	24,234	36,610	23,342
Operating Segments | Colombia Operations
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	439,711	478,607	420,825
Depreciation, Property and equipment	10,210	10,320	8,858
Amortization, Intangibles	0	0	0
Operating income (loss)	15,467	22,526	21,932
Interest income from external sources	155	76	103
Interest income from intersegment sources	0	0	0
Interest expense from external sources	3,940	3,116	2,346
Interest expense from intersegment sources	1,939	899	298
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	(1,250)	727	2,383
Net income (loss) attributable to PriceSmart, Inc.	11,755	18,268	17,333
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)	205,295	175,194	164,970
Intangibles, net		0	0
Goodwill	0	0	0
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	0	0	0
Total Assets	282,467	235,680	228,526
Capital expenditures, net	29,948	33,654	28,181
Reconciling Items
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	(1,576,384)	(1,524,224)	(1,307,053)
Reconciling Items | United ‎States ‎Operations
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	(1,538,588)	(1,492,648)	(1,280,236)
Reconciling Items | Central ‎American ‎Operations
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	(27,709)	(22,119)	(17,861)
Reconciling Items | Caribbean Operations Segment
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	(5,621)	(5,857)	(5,087)
Reconciling Items | Colombia Operations
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	(4,466)	(3,600)	(3,869)
Consolidation, Eliminations
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	0	0	0
Depreciation, Property and equipment	0	0	0
Amortization, Intangibles	0	0	0
Operating income (loss)	(139,739)	(128,965)	(103,301)
Interest income from external sources	0	0	0
Interest income from intersegment sources	(4,310)	(3,998)	(5,006)
Interest expense from external sources	0	0	0
Interest expense from intersegment sources	(4,313)	(3,934)	(4,265)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to PriceSmart, Inc.	(139,739)	(128,984)	(103,497)
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)	0	0	0
Intangibles, net		0	0
Goodwill	0	0	0
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	0	0	0
Total Assets	0	0	0
Capital expenditures, net	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0