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, 2016	$ 3	$ 412,369	$ 11,321	$ (103,951)	$ 351,060	$ (32,731)	$ 638,071		$ 638,071
Balance (in shares) at Aug. 31, 2016	31,238,000					836,000
Purchase of treasury stock						$ (3,193)	(3,193)		(3,193)
Purchase of treasury stock (in shares)						39,000
Issuance of restricted stock award (in shares)	63,000
Forfeiture of restricted stock awards (in shares)	(37,000)
Exercise of stock options		704					704		704
Exercise of stock options (in shares)	12,000
Stock-based compensation		9,689	165				9,854		9,854
Dividend paid to stockholders					(21,285)		(21,285)		(21,285)
Net income					90,724		90,724		90,724
Other comprehensive income (loss)				(6,108)			(6,108)		(6,108)
Balance at Aug. 31, 2017	$ 3	422,762	11,486	(110,059)	420,499	$ (35,924)	708,767		708,767
Balance (in shares) at Aug. 31, 2017	31,276,000					875,000
Acquisition of Aeropost								$ 562	562
Purchase of treasury stock						$ (3,183)	(3,183)		(3,183)
Purchase of treasury stock (in shares)						37,000
Issuance of restricted stock award (in shares)	109,000
Forfeiture of restricted stock awards (in shares)	(16,000)
Exercise of stock options	$ 4	269					269		269
Stock-based compensation		10,218					10,218		10,218
Dividend paid to stockholders					(21,240)		(21,240)		(21,240)
Net income					74,328		74,328	75	74,403
Other comprehensive income (loss)				(11,157)			(11,157)	(1)	(11,158)
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			30,460,353
Cumulative effect of accounting change for the adoption of ASU 2016-09		(367)			367
Purchase of treasury stock						$ (4,604)	(4,604)		$ (4,604)
Purchase of treasury stock (in shares)						75,000
Issuance of treasury stock		(5,024)				$ 5,024
Issuance of treasury stock	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					15,512		15,512
Dividend paid to stockholders					(21,341)		(21,341)	(313)	(21,654)
Net income					73,191		73,191	298	73,489
Other comprehensive income (loss)				(23,123)			(23,123)	21	(23,102)
Other		(286)					(286)	286
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