bicycle shorts

Question
I have recently been riding a new mountain bike, mostly on flat surfaces for fitness training. It's outfitted with a Bontrager Sport saddle (women's although I am a man). I find my butt and crotch are both sore after a long ride. Do bicycle shorts with the chamois padding really help, and if so, do they sell any for under $50.00? Maybe, I should change the bike seat. What do you think?

Answer
I think two things:
1.  The pants are not necessarily the ultimate solution.  However, they definitely make a difference.  Yes, you can easily find good solid pair for less than $50.  Try the house brand at Performance Bikes (performancebikes.com) or Nashbar (nashbar.com).  I own several pairs of the Century model and they have been great shorts.
2.  Proper bike shorts will improve your comfort, but, actually, the bike SEAT is the key. If you have taken the time to really search for a seat that fits you, you will be rewarded with dramatically more comfort.  Two good ways to search for a seat without having to spend a lot of money (and ending up with a box full, like I have) are: 1) get your friends to let you sit on their seats;  or, 2) find a bike shop that will let you mount them up on your bike and try them out.  
Other tips: in my experience (and those of many of my Spin clients), wider or gel seats are not more comfortable in the long run.  Getting used to a smaller, high-quality seat takes time (something like 6-10 rides), but once your underside gets used to a good saddle, it will disappear underneath you.