SEGMENTS (Summary of Segment Revenues, Operating Costs and Balance Sheet Items) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Aug. 31, 2021		Aug. 31, 2020		Aug. 31, 2019
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue		$ 3,619,871		$ 3,329,188		$ 3,223,918
Depreciation, Property and equipment		62,579		58,815		52,554
Amortization, Intangibles		2,404		2,410		2,404
Operating income (loss)		158,020		122,468		115,167
Interest income from external sources		1,979		2,031		1,489
Interest expense from external sources		7,210		7,625		3,939
Provision for income taxes		48,969		37,764		37,560
Net income (loss) attributable to PriceSmart Inc.		97,963		78,109		73,191
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)		931,503	[1]	880,780	[1]	730,365
Intangibles, net		7,762		10,166		12,576
Goodwill		45,095		45,206		46,101
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates		10,544		10,602		10,697
Total assets		1,705,790		1,656,825		1,296,411
Capital expenditures, net		106,108		104,247		145,667
United States Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue		88,397		73,703		68,335
Depreciation, Property and equipment		6,970		6,888		5,334
Amortization, Intangibles		2,404		2,410		2,404
Operating income (loss)		12,687		3,873		3,805
Interest income from external sources		13		7		74
Interest income from intersegment sources		2,130		2,065		1,408
Interest expense from external sources		1,606		1,890		1,377
Interest expense from intersegment sources		34		39		60
Provision for income taxes		15,919		10,106		11,280
Net income (loss) attributable to PriceSmart Inc.		(4,777)		(7,578)		(8,518)
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)		79,404	[1]	81,008	[1]	65,278
Intangibles, net		7,762		10,166		12,576
Goodwill		10,695		10,696		11,315
Total assets		246,896		272,190		161,583
Capital expenditures, net		9,061	[1]	6,072		8,439
Central American Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue		2,105,856		1,895,857		1,831,761
Depreciation, Property and equipment		31,319		29,312		24,684
Operating income (loss)		151,933		125,351		122,629
Interest income from external sources		878		612		499
Interest income from intersegment sources		2,393		2,566		1,877
Interest expense from external sources		2,831		3,425		2,368
Interest expense from intersegment sources		1,286		1,547		1,505
Provision for income taxes		22,661		20,001		19,429
Net income (loss) attributable to PriceSmart Inc.		127,879		103,697		100,614
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)		490,099	[1]	475,744	[1]	383,665
Goodwill		24,332		24,418		24,593
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates		10,544		10,602		10,697
Total assets		795,940		741,523		614,579
Capital expenditures, net		45,524		48,150		85,962
Caribbean Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	[2]	1,004,793		993,657		933,886
Depreciation, Property and equipment	[2]	15,432		15,441		14,052
Operating income (loss)	[2]	74,769		57,217		50,724
Interest income from external sources	[2]	985		749		568
Interest income from intersegment sources	[2]	483		431		724
Interest expense from external sources	[2]	427		310		(401)
Interest expense from intersegment sources	[2]	2,647		2,258		2,132
Provision for income taxes	[2]	8,006		6,416		6,615
Net income (loss) attributable to PriceSmart Inc.	[2]	61,025		50,553		44,168
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)	[2]	197,030	[1]	177,166	[1]	165,584
Goodwill	[2]	10,068		10,092		10,193
Total assets	[2]	434,428		395,244		340,216
Capital expenditures, net	[2]	23,342		14,460		28,434
Colombia Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue		420,825		365,971		389,936
Depreciation, Property and equipment		8,858		7,174		8,484
Operating income (loss)		21,932		18,071		14,909
Interest income from external sources		103		663		348
Interest expense from external sources		2,346		2,000		595
Interest expense from intersegment sources		298		561		8
Provision for income taxes		2,383		1,241		236
Net income (loss) attributable to PriceSmart Inc.		17,333		13,554		14,124
Long-lived assets (other than deferred tax assets)		164,970	[1]	146,862	[1]	115,838
Total assets		228,526		247,868		180,033
Capital expenditures, net		28,181		35,565		22,832
Intersegment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	[3]	(1,307,053)		(1,172,160)		(1,223,176)
Intersegment [Member] | United States Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue		(1,280,236)		(1,148,004)		(1,205,986)
Intersegment [Member] | Central American Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue		(17,861)		(16,524)		(11,185)
Intersegment [Member] | Caribbean Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	[2]	(5,087)		(4,909)		(4,507)
Intersegment [Member] | Colombia Operations Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue		(3,869)		(2,723)		(1,498)
Reconciling Items [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income (loss)	[3]	(103,301)		(82,044)		(76,900)
Interest income from intersegment sources	[3]	(5,006)		(5,062)		(4,009)
Interest expense from intersegment sources	[3]	(4,265)		(4,405)		(3,705)
Net income (loss) attributable to PriceSmart Inc.	[3]	$ (103,497)		$ (82,117)		$ (77,197)

[1] Effective September 1, 2019 (fiscal year 2020), 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, 2021 and August 31, 2020 is not comparable with that as of August 31, 2019.

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

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