Note 14 - Income Tax - Unrecognized Tax Benefits (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Balance	$ 1,858	$ 2,292
Gross increases for tax positions of prior periods	6	18
Amount recognized on acquisitions	289
Reduction for lapses in applicable statutes of limitations	(560)	(628)
Foreign currency translation	(133)	176
Balance	$ 1,460	$ 1,858

Amount of increase (decrease) in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from foreign currency translation.

No definition available.

Name:	cigi_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreaseDecreaseResultingFromForeignCurrencyTranslation
Namespace Prefix:	cigi_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of unrecognized tax benefits.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 10B
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84176650&loc=SL37586934-109318

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15A
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=SL6600010-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of increase in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from acquisitions.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromAcquisition
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from tax positions taken in prior period tax returns.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15A
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=SL6600010-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of decrease in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from lapses of applicable statutes of limitations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15A
-Subparagraph (a)(4)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84230637&loc=SL6600010-109319

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsReductionsResultingFromLapseOfApplicableStatuteOfLimitations
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration