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Fair Value Measurement of Assets and Liabilities - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) | Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013
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Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Short-term investments | $ 148,809,539 us-gaap_ShortTermInvestments | $ 76,593,214 us-gaap_ShortTermInvestments
Time Deposits [Member] |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Short-term investments | 58,475,057 us-gaap_ShortTermInvestments / us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis = us-gaap_BankTimeDepositsMember | 66,677,156 us-gaap_ShortTermInvestments / us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis = us-gaap_BankTimeDepositsMember
Auction Rate Securities [Member] |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Direct investments | 0 us-gaap_Investments / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_AuctionRateSecuritiesMember | 0 us-gaap_Investments / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_AuctionRateSecuritiesMember
Collateralized Debt Obligations [Member] |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Direct investments | 0 us-gaap_Investments / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_CollateralizedDebtObligationsMember | 0 us-gaap_Investments / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_CollateralizedDebtObligationsMember
Structured Investment Vehicles [Member] |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Direct investments | $ 0 us-gaap_Investments / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = meli_StructuredInvestmentVehiclesMember | $ 0 us-gaap_Investments / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = meli_StructuredInvestmentVehiclesMember

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- Definition Sum of the carrying amounts as of the balance sheet date of all investments. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.1(h)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph h -Article 7 + Details
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- Definition Investments which are intended to be sold in the short term (usually less than one year or the normal operating cycle, whichever is longer) including trading securities, available-for-sale securities, held-to-maturity securities, and other short-term investments not otherwise listed in the existing taxonomy. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph g -Article 7 + Details
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