There are benefits to each location.
The base camp is best appointed and more comfortable in France, its easier to get around the town and there are some nice, valuable metals to collect in very accessible locations. Use this one if you want to increase skills by reading, cooking etc. while there. Take the needed books with you and a stereo if you want to do athletics.
However, as has already been mentioned, China has that nice "free books" bonus and easier tomb raiding. It also has a very useful incense burner which speeds up reading and gives a nice 10 happiness points when in the room with it (1000 simoleons). I always buy one to take with me when I go to the library, gym etc.
Egypt is where you buy the good camara, if you want to do the photography skill, and the snake charming basket, but the base camp is very basic. The first couple of tombs are very easy too. Sadly very little easily accessible valuable metal and gems though, so I find this the least profitable destination.
I usually take a trip to China right at the start of the game to lift those books. You won't need much money, just a few hundred to buy a tent if you want to use one insead of a bed for a few days when you return home. Otherwise, you shouldn't actually need a tent for the first tomb adventure in any location. Harvest a couple of wild plants before you go, good free food. There is a good community lot with loads of fruit and veg to harvest in China though the plants are likely to have no produce on the first day of your first trip. (The current gardening bug rather ruins this though as you will have to harvest each plant individually.) There are some good harvestables in France too.
If you do an adventure in any of the locations you will make some decent money. Get your metal smelted or gems cut, while there if you are tight for cash then sell the ingots or gems. However, it's more profitable to bring them home and transfigure them into tiberium. I have never taken a trip where I have returned poorer than when I left.
You need to decide the purpose of your first trip and plan it before you leave. Buy a stereo wherever you are going. Then buy the basics like guitar or skill books or portable computer if you intend to use some of the time for learning. A trip to the library to read a book, or a class is pretty useful too. For Example: if I plan to harvest then I will read the first chapter of gardening before I go. Collectables will not appear on the map until the second day of your first trip.