SEGMENTS (Summary of Segment Revenues, Operating Costs and Balance Sheet Items) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2024	Aug. 31, 2023	Aug. 31, 2022
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 4,913,898	$ 4,411,842	$ 4,066,093
Depreciation, property and equipment	82,611	71,933	66,255
Amortization, Intangibles	0	765	1,613
Operating income (loss)	220,944	184,516	167,066
Interest income from external sources	11,049	9,871	2,201
Interest income from intersegment sources	0	0	0
Interest expense from external sources	12,959	11,020	9,611
Interest expense from intersegment sources	0	0	0
Provision for income taxes	62,618	59,951	51,858
Net income attributable to PriceSmart, Inc.	138,875	109,205	104,534
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)	1,110,532	1,053,353	962,397
Intangibles, net			765
Goodwill	43,197	43,110	43,303
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	6,882	10,479	10,534
Total assets	2,022,694	2,005,608	1,808,400
Capital expenditures, net	171,542	143,912	122,342
Operating Segments
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates		0	0
Total assets	220,076
Operating Segments | United ‎States ‎Operations
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Total revenues	39,438	31,741	48,716
Depreciation, property and equipment	5,963	5,482	4,719
Amortization, Intangibles		765	1,613
Operating income (loss)	24,868	29,844	23,364
Interest income from external sources	2,382	3,604	147
Interest income from intersegment sources	4,618	2,454	1,789
Interest expense from external sources	1,118	1,165	1,225
Interest expense from intersegment sources	2,261	75	27
Provision for income taxes	20,961	23,283	19,629
Net income attributable to PriceSmart, Inc.	5,324	9,540	8,292
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)	72,727	71,919	70,978
Intangibles, net			765
Goodwill	8,981	8,981	8,981
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	0
Total assets		302,115	230,411
Capital expenditures, net	10,591	10,204	5,119
Operating Segments | Central ‎American ‎Operations
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Total revenues	2,965,772	2,671,083	2,382,163
Depreciation, property and equipment	42,990	37,053	34,155
Amortization, Intangibles		0	0
Operating income (loss)	227,986	191,721	171,119
Interest income from external sources	7,291	3,977	1,115
Interest income from intersegment sources	4,020	1,603	1,954
Interest expense from external sources	2,843	2,664	3,107
Interest expense from intersegment sources	3,531	1,258	1,187
Provision for income taxes	31,761	28,045	23,396
Net income attributable to PriceSmart, Inc.	192,128	159,014	144,159
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)	614,382	566,139	498,204
Intangibles, net			0
Goodwill	24,193	24,083	24,250
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	6,882	10,479	10,534
Total assets	1,065,493	995,881	867,898
Capital expenditures, net	108,506	79,526	46,959
Operating Segments | Caribbean Operations
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Total revenues	1,352,030	1,269,307	1,156,607
Depreciation, property and equipment	19,607	19,188	17,061
Amortization, Intangibles		0	0
Operating income (loss)	95,642	87,223	79,022
Interest income from external sources	1,175	2,135	863
Interest income from intersegment sources	376	253	255
Interest expense from external sources	2,719	3,251	2,163
Interest expense from intersegment sources	1,154	1,041	1,821
Provision for income taxes	8,880	9,873	8,106
Net income attributable to PriceSmart, Inc.	77,983	68,635	62,799
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)	224,019	210,000	218,021
Intangibles, net			0
Goodwill	10,023	10,046	10,072
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	0	0	0
Total assets	451,265	425,145	474,411
Capital expenditures, net	38,777	24,234	36,610
Operating Segments | Colombia Operations
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Total revenues	556,658	439,711	478,607
Depreciation, property and equipment	14,051	10,210	10,320
Amortization, Intangibles		0	0
Operating income (loss)	15,231	15,467	22,526
Interest income from external sources	201	155	76
Interest income from intersegment sources	0	0	0
Interest expense from external sources	6,279	3,940	3,116
Interest expense from intersegment sources	2,103	1,939	899
Provision for income taxes	1,016	(1,250)	727
Net income attributable to PriceSmart, Inc.	6,223	11,755	18,268
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)	199,404	205,295	175,194
Intangibles, net			0
Goodwill	0	0	0
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	0	0	0
Total assets	285,860	282,467	235,680
Capital expenditures, net	13,668	29,948	33,654
Intersegment revenues
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Total revenues	1,800,892	1,576,384	1,524,224
Intersegment revenues | United ‎States ‎Operations
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Total revenues	(1,759,335)	(1,538,588)	(1,492,648)
Intersegment revenues | Central ‎American ‎Operations
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Total revenues	(31,101)	(27,709)	(22,119)
Intersegment revenues | Caribbean Operations
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Total revenues	(5,641)	(5,621)	(5,857)
Intersegment revenues | Colombia Operations
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Total revenues	(4,815)	(4,466)	(3,600)
Reconciling Items
Revenues from External Customers and Long-Lived Assets [Line Items]
Total revenues	0	0	0
Depreciation, property and equipment	0	0	0
Amortization, Intangibles		0	0
Operating income (loss)	(142,783)	(139,739)	(128,965)
Interest income from external sources	0	0	0
Interest income from intersegment sources	(9,014)	(4,310)	(3,998)
Interest expense from external sources	0	0	0
Interest expense from intersegment sources	(9,049)	(4,313)	(3,934)
Provision for income taxes	0	0	0
Net income attributable to PriceSmart, Inc.	(142,783)	(139,739)	(128,984)
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)	0	0	0
Intangibles, net			0
Goodwill	0	0	0
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	0	0	0
Total assets	0	0	0
Capital expenditures, net	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0